History Main / AlwaysaBiggerFish

* ''Anime/{{Inuyasha}}'': the basic concept is demonstrated in a flashback showing how Jaken came to be Sesshōmaru's servant. Long ago, he was the leader of a tribe of imps who came under threat by a demon who turned out to be the greatest opponent Jaken and his tribe had faced up to that point. Just as the demon was about to kill Jaken, Sesshōmaru happened to be walking by and, considering the demon to be in his way, effortlessly destroyed it with one blow. Seeing such a great and powerful demon so nonchalantly save his life put Jaken in awe and he abandoned his tribe to follow Sesshōmaru from then on.

* In ''Fanfic/OppositesDestroy'', after renegade genie Djinn tricks a little girl into wishing that he was a free genie with full powers, [[spoiler:he is ultimately trapped by Fasir and the Mukhtar, who are able to force him to use his powers to undo what he did since freed]].

* A heroic example in ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls''. It is honestly not surprising for the people to see [[RedBaron Sir]] [[HorrifyingHero Kyril]] [[TheDreaded the Bloody]] as the bigger fish, a monster unleashed upon the other monsters and the Black Dogs. His [[TheStoic emotionless visage]], [[DarkIsNotEvil gothic hunter attire that obscures his facial features]], and swift brutality against his enemies, so brutal that he [[BloodSplatteredWarrior is covered in blood and guts almost all the time]], does not help any matters in the slightest. Many a MookHorrorShow described in this fanfic only serves to hammer this further.

** This also happens in the manga. One example being after the Fish-Man Island arc, where a fish the crew catches is then eaten by a bigger fish, which is eaten by an even bigger fish, which is then killed by Zoro.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' fanfic "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6238727/1/Opposites-Destroy Opposites Destroy]]", after renegade genie Djinn tricks a little girl into wishing that he was a free genie with full powers, [[spoiler:he is ultimately trapped by Fasir and the Mukhtar, who are able to force him to use his powers to undo what he did since freed]].

** In the series ''Series/StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds'' pilot episode ''[[Recap/StarTrekStrangeNewWorldsS1E01StrangeNewWorlds StrangeNewWorlds]]'' Pike has the USS ''Enterprise'' descend to graphically demonstrate to the people of Kiley 279 the Federation has a considerbly larger stick than anything the Kiley have. Seeing how small they are in the grand scheme of things gets the two warring factions on that world to at least talk to each other.

* In ''Franchise/StarTrek'', the Borg are one of the most terrifying and unstoppable alien forces in the franchise. In the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Battle of Wolf 359]], a single Borg cube annihilated 40 Federation ships without taking a scratch. In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', we finally meet their bigger fish: [[http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Species_8472 Species 8472]]. Their introduction shows two Borg cubes being effortlessly destroyed, [[KilledMidSentence in the middle of saying]] that ResistanceIsFutile no less. The possibility of this was {{foreshadow|ing}}ed in "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E16Unity Unity]]", where the crew encounter a powerless Borg cube. B'Elanna suggests the cube was either damaged by an "[[NegativeSpaceWedgie electro-kinetic storm]]" or someone more powerful than them. Everyone is visibly unnerved by the possibility of that.

* In ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu,'' it is sometimes possible to summon the god Nodens to attack whatever primordial horror is pestering you. It's clear that Nodens doesn't give a fig about ''you,'' but he enjoys going after other primordial entities.

* ''Comicbook/{{Bone}}'': The climax is an interesting double helping of this trope: [[spoiler:the [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]]-[[PhysicalGod goddess]] Mim's roaring rampage is set to wipe most of the heroes (most of the planet) off the map. Meanwhile, Thorn and Fone Bone are being pursued by the rest of the dragons, in a blind rage. The dragons pursue Thorn and Fone to the surface, at which point they see Mim, and they break off their pursuit to go [[CooldownHug calm their queen down]]]].

** ''[[Characters/NewGodsDarkseid Darkseid]]'': Staggeringly, even Darkseid has a Bigger Fish -- his own father, Yuga Khan. Thankfully for Darkseid and the universe, all ''he'' cares about is learning the truth about the Source, and was trapped, as everybody else is, attempting to penetrate it. However, when he freed himself, he briefly terrorized Apokolips even worse than his son did, and caused Darkseid to attempt to hide. Having learned nothing from his previous attempt, Yuga Khan once again attempted to invade the Source and ended up once again trapped.
** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': A common theme throughout most iterations, especially in the case of Doomsday. Clark Kent is the most powerful being in the world, so the only times he can really face a challenge is when he faces someone from somewhere else with even more power than him.

* In Creator/PeterBenchley's ''Literature/Beast'', the titular giant squid is moments from finishing the remaining characters when it is attacked, killed, and presumably eaten by an equally massive sperm whale.

* In Creator/PeterBenchley's "Beast", the titular giant squid is moments from finishing the remaining characters when it is attacked, killed, and presumably eaten by an equally massive sperm whale.

* In Peter Benchley's "Beast", the titular giant squid is moments from finishing the remaining characters when it is attacked, killed, and presumably eaten by an equally massive sperm whale.

* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': You play as a badass vampire. You have cool powers, you're resistant to gunfire, and you have incredible strength and speed. {{Muggles}} pose little to no challenge at all. [[ImplacableMan Werewolves]], on the other hand, are an entirely different story. There will be one instance in the game where you have to face one, and all you can do is run away. ''[[HopelessBossFight RUN]]''. [[spoiler:Or lure up to the observatory and crush it between the doors.]]

* Cited in the ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'' "Atlantis" episode as why Blue can't watch ''Film/Aquaman2018''.
-->'''Blue''': "The deeper you go the more nightmares there are! There's always a bigger fish!!!"

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' has this happen in ''musical form'' after Gumball and Darwin ask a squirrel about the meaning of life.

* ''WesternAnimation/Amphibia'': A short scene in "Cane Crazy" has a dragonfly get eaten by a bird on the fly, and said bird immediately gets eaten by an even bigger dragonfly.

* In the ''Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings''/''Series/OnceUponATime'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10357975/1/The-Necromancer The Necromancer]]", Mr Gold recognises that Sauron and Gandalf command far more powerful magic than he could ever hope to possess; [[spoiler:Gold has to join with Gandalf, Emma and Regina to have enough power to stop Sauron]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'': Happens twice in succession in [[http://goblinscomic.com/12082008/ this]] strip, where one of the Brassmoon guards tells Complains [[TemptingFate "The bigger creatures always kill the smaller creatures, it's just the nature of the world!"]] Then he hears a loud footfall behind him and looks up at the soulspike devourer towering above him... Then they are both killed by an even bigger "fish": a magic effect created by the Shield of Wonder.

* In ''Manga/KillingBites'''s first battle scene, Leo is boasting about [[TheSocialDarwinist his strength makes him better than everyone else]] when Ratel gets back up and curb-stomps him. (The irony is lost on him.)

** ''ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'': Staggeringly, even Darkseid has a Bigger Fish -- his own father, Yuga Khan. Thankfully for Darkseid and the universe, all ''he'' cares about is learning the truth about the Source, and was trapped, as everybody else is, attempting to penetrate it. However, when he freed himself, he briefly terrorized Apokolips even worse than his son did, and caused Darkseid to attempt to hide. Having learned nothing from his previous attempt, Yuga Khan once again attempted to invade the Source and ended up once again trapped.

** In ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'', Gah Lak Tus is one of the biggest threats in that universe. When 616 ComicBook/{{Galactus}} arrives through a tear in reality, Gah lak Tus tries to consume him. Upon realizing that Galactus is both a kindred spirit and far more powerful, Gah Lak Tus immediately chooses to [[FusionDance merge with him]] and serve him as his new Heralds.

** While escaping from Kong's lair Ann runs into a pair of the crocodilian monsters, Foetodon who spot and chase her down, she tries to hide in a hollow log, which prompts one of the Foetodon to tear at the wood to try to get her. Only for the creature's eyes to suddenly wide and it to scream in horror as something drags it out of the log and kills it scaring off the other one, after Ann runs out of the log to avoid getting attacked by a group of giant centipedes in it, she comes face to face with her [[BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork unintentional savior]] who then proceeds to [[FromBadToWorse chase her down]]: Vastatosaurus Rex.

* ''Film/SharknadoThe4thAwakens'': Taken UpToEleven: Finn gets swallowed by a shark, which is then swallowed by a larger shark, which is swallowed by an even larger shark, which is swallowed by a still larger shark, which is swallowed by... [[ArtisticLicenseBiology a blue whale]].

** In ''Literature/ProvenGuilty'', Harry has just [[spoiler:escaped from where Madrigal Raith and his lackey have been holding him hostage]] and they've started fighting... only for the bad guys to end up running away as fast as possible when the book's actual BigBad shows up.

** ''Literature/SmallFavor'' also has a sequence where Harry's trying to get away from a FallenAngel, only for [[spoiler:the fairy assassin Eldest Brother Gruff]] to show up and take out the guy without even trying.

* In ''Franchise/StarTrek'', the Borg are one of the most terrifying and unstoppable alien forces in the franchise. In the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Battle of Wolf 359]], a single Borg cube annihilated 40 Federation ships without taking a scratch. In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', we finally meet their bigger fish: [[http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Species_8472 Species 8472]]. Their introduction shows two Borg cubes being effortlessly destroyed, [[KilledMidSentence in the middle of saying]] that ResistanceIsFutile no less. The possibility of this was {{Foreshadow|ing}}ed in "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E16Unity Unity]]", where the crew encounter a powerless Borg cube. B'Elanna suggests the cube was either damaged by an "[[NegativeSpaceWedgie electro-kinetic storm]]" or someone more powerful than them. Everyone is visibly unnerved by the possibility of that.

** ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'': In one story arc, Strange is menaced by the cosmically powerful sorceress Umar. He finds and releases an artificial EldritchAbomination called Zom which is the one thing that scares her. Needless to say this quickly backfires (if Strange couldn't handle Umar, he has no chance of containing something bigger than her), and he has to find a bigger fish yet, going through a ChainOfDeals which ends with the Living Tribunal, ''the'' single biggest fish in the entire Marvel ''Multiverse'' (apart from an unseen, vaguely-defined "[[TheMaker One-Above-All]]"). The Tribunal himself was defeated in the leadup to ''Comicbook/{{Infinity}}''. It seems this was done by the mysterious 'Rabum Alal' - Sumerian (yes, really) for "Great Destroyer" - as Black Swan, kind of his herald in a sense, calls him. And now, as of ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'', the Living Tribunal [[spoiler:is dead at the hands of the Beyonders]].

** A quartet of ''Mei long'' that were harassing one of the camera crew book it through the portal when a pack of ''Sinotyrannus'' show up. Hilariously, the ''Sinnotyrannus'' weren't even after the ''Mei'' - they were chasing a group of ''Chuanqilong'' who just happened to burst into the same area as Nigel, his team, and their attackers.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', as Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar travel in a sub through the watery core of Naboo, this happens twice in a row: their sub is first attacked by a crablike [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Opee_sea_killer opee sea killer]], and then later by a serpentine [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Colo_claw_fish colo claw fish]]. On both occasions, a ''massive'' [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sando_aqua_monster sando aqua monster]] comes along and eats the smaller predator.

* ''Literature/CradleSeries'': At every plateau of power, a sacred artist is practically undefeatable to anyone below them. Coppers can easily defeat Foundation, Irons can defeat Coppers, Jades can defeat Irons. There is a level above Jade, Gold, but there hasn't been a Gold in Sacred Valley in hundreds of years. And then Lindon finds out that the outside world considers Gold to be the first real level of the sacred arts--most people reach that level in their teens.

* ''Literature/TheOneWhoEatsMonsters'': Ryn is the bigger fish. She mentions early on that there is absolutely nothing in the city that can truly challenge her--the really dangerous monsters are out in the wilds, and she's killed most of those anyway. When the villains attack her with a weapon forged by their master, that can kill any god weaker than him, Ryn performs a BulletCatch with only minimal difficulty and destroys the weapon.

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'' season 4 is all over this trope. One group of Losties hides from the freighties in the Others' Barracks. Later, a group cornered in a house are able to leave because the smoke monster (the series' original antagonist) attacks the bad guys. In the finale, when the Others showed up, fans at [[Website/TelevisionWithoutPity TWoP]] commented that they felt like the cavalry had arrived, quite a sharp contrast to the Others' first appearance in "Exodus Part 2".

* For the first three seasons of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', Librarian [[TheDreaded "Tammy Two"]] (Ron Swanson's second ex-wife-named-Tammy) is the clear BigBad of the series. Then at the end of season three, the cast are informed that "Tammy One" is on the scene. Tammy Two ''immediately flees in terror''.

* Music/JimCroce had two examples - "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim" - in which the titular characters were people you did ''not'' want to tangle with... but the rivals within the song managed to trounce them.

* ''Radio/TheMenFromTheMinistry'': Sir Gregory Pitkin is an archetypal BadBoss of General Assistance Department, but his own superior Lord Stilton sometimes plays this role saving (mostly unknowingly) the staff of Department from Sir Gregory's wrath.

* ''VideoGame/{{Outlast}}'': Near the end, Chris Walker, who up to that point has been the recurring/main antagonist of the game, as well as being a hulking behemoth of a man, is just about to deliver the finishing blow to the protagonist, [[NonActionGuy Miles Upshur]], before he is grabbed by the [[{{Nanomachines}} Walrider]], which proceeds to throw him around the room like a ragdoll, finally shredding him to bits in a vent grate.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'':
** While [[BadassBookworm Gordon]] [[OneManArmy Freeman]] doesn't exactly ''need'' the help, there are numerous places in the series where members of different factions fight and kill each other, effectively clearing Freeman's path (Marines and Xen aliens in ''Half-Life'', Combine, Antlions and Headcrab Zombies in ''Half-Life 2'' and its Episodes). Closer to the trope, this leads to at least two instances where a rampaging Antlion Guard slaughters a squad of Combine soldiers.
** This is essentially what happened between ''Half-Life 1'' and ''2''. At some point after or during the AlienInvasion by Xen forces, a ''different'' alien invasion by the Combine happened. They [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] both Earth and Xen forces easily, and took over the planet.
* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': During the Shinjuku chapter, the protagonists are attacked by a group of thugs and their pet chimera. Said chimera is an even stronger version of the usual chimera mob, represented by being palette swapped to [[PurpleIsPowerful purple]]. When the fight is over, [[SavageWolves Hessian Lobo]] crashes the party and bites the super chimera in half.
* ''VideoGame/FeedingFrenzy'': This trope is the major point. Eat small fish, become large fish, and avoid the even larger fish while doing that. Most levels have non-edible fish larger than your maximum size, or something else capable of killing you (mines, birds and clams) but in several levels you get to be top dog of the seas once you eat your way to the top of the food chain.
* ''VideoGame/HungrySharkEvolution'' is based on this, with the food chain going from tiny fish through various [[ThreateningShark sharks]] all the way up to [[PrehistoricMonster Prehistoric Monsters]].
* ''VideoGame/HungrySharkWorld'', sequel to ''Evolution'', continues to be based on this trope.
* ''VideoGame/OdellDownUnder'': No matter what fish you are , there is always something that can eat you. Even the largest fish, the great white shark, can still be eaten... by another great white shark.
* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarChainsOfOlympus'', Kratos fights a Cyclops, which is then eaten by a basilisk.

* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'' features this trope quite prominently, particularly in the Cell Stage. If you happen to be in the middle of being attacked by a large organism, once in a while a larger creature comes along and scares off or eats your attacker.
* In ''VideoGame/RuneScape'''s "Ritual of the Mahjarrat" quest, [[spoiler:Lucien]] is killed by [[spoiler:[[MacGuffinGuardian the dragonkin]]]].
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'':
** You barely avoid a beheading in the opener thanks to a dragon rampage. [[spoiler:Ironically, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain the whole reason he showed up was to kill you]]]].
** It can happen in-game, too: dragons can randomly attack while the player is fighting off weaker enemies.
** The Dragonborn themself is one. According to lore, Akatosh bestowed upon mortals the gift of Dragons-blood so that they may serve as guardians of mankind and as natural predators to Dragonkind. Indeed, part of what makes the Dragonborn so greatly feared is their ability to simply show up in the middle of a Dragon-attack, [[CurbStompBattle tear them apart]], [[YourSoulIsMine devour their very soul]]... and then promptly [[ButForMeItWasTuesday go on their way]]. There's a ''reason'' the Dragonborn is referred to in-universe as "''[[TheDreaded The One They Fear]]''".
* In ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve2'', ANMC's are running rampant throughout the Shelter, having killed [[spoiler: or converted]] the humans inside and many in a nearby town. It's only after Aya [[spoiler: kills the generators in the Neo Ark]] that the Golems show up. If you thought the ANMC's were bad, [[FromBadToWorse you are going to get a very rude surprise]]. The Golems eventually run into their own bigger fish...[[spoiler:[[SemperFi The United States Marine Corps.]]]].
* ''VideoGame/MusashiSamuraiLegend'' had a literal example with the Crimson Gorger. After the fight, it's about to eat Musashi, it then gets eaten by the ''Great'' Crimson Gorger, who then proceeds to continue the chase and therefore the boss fight.

* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One'' pulls this in one of its enemy introductions; a [[GiantMook Tank Minion]] flies in to confront the heroes at Terawatt Forest, only for [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant a Guardian to activate]], pull the Minion in with its tractor beam and smash it to pieces with its hands.

* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': You play as a badass vampire. You have cool powers, you're resistant to gunfire, and you have incredible strength and speed. {{Muggles}} pose little to no challenge at all. [[ImplacableMan Werewolves]], on the other hand, are an entirely different story. There will be one instance in the game where you have to face one, and all you can do is run away. ''[[HopelessBossFight RUN]]''. [[spoiler:Or lure up to the observatory and crush it between the doors.]]
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'':
** It's possible for this to happen when multiple monsters are in the same area. Example: Qurupeco [[EnemySummoner summons]] Deviljho. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Deviljho kills Qurupeco.]] [[InstantWinCondition Objective complete! Returning to village in 1 min.]]
** On the story side of things, there's also usually a monster that's scaring other monsters off and making them aggressive. The most egregious example would be Fatalis' surprise return in ''Iceborne.'' It's implied that the ecosystem of the New World freaking out, the appearances of Xeno'jiiva and later Safi'jiiva, Shara Ishvalda wreaking havoc on the environment with seismic waves, Alatreon nesting in the Secluded Valley, and even the Elder Crossing phenomenon were all the results of monsters [[OhCrap freaking the fuck out]] upon sensing Fatalis' awakening, and running away as far as they can.
* In ''VideoGame/JurassicParkTheGame'', the ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' reprises its role in eating raptors to the protagonists' benefit.
** Another scene has it show up and get into a fight with an angry ''Triceratops'' that's trying to kill them, and the protagonists only make it through because, for the most part, the two dinosaurs are more interested in killing each other.
** The ''Dilophosaurus'' only back off when they hear a strange call. [[HopeSpot It looks for a moment as though Nima is free to escape, and then there is a rustling of leaves and shadowy creatures surround her in the dark.]] Then she gets bitten.

* In Chapter 6 of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'', the party have just finished a fairly tough boss fight with a Tainted Sphinx when ''three'' more show up. Then the colossal [[BonusBoss Telethia]] swoops in and tosses the beasts around like ragdolls before flying away. The characters are left wondering whether it intended to save them or toy with them.
* ''VideoGame/MedievalIITotalWar'': No matter how powerful you think you are, the Mongols and later the Timurids will cream you and all your big Europe-bestriding armies.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Gyarados have a well-deserved reputation as terrifying, powerful and destructive monsters, but even they flee from Wishiwashi's powerful [[TheWormThatWalks School Form]], called the Demon of the Seas... and even then, Wailord have been known to devour entire schools of Wishiwashi whole... and Wailord themselves are preyed on by Dhelmise, who wrap them in seaweed tentacles and drain their life force.
** Mareanie, a poisonous and spiky starfish-like Pokémon, is a predator of Corsola, but Mareanie themselves are prey for Bruxish, whose skin is too thick to be pierced by Mareanie's spikes.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon'': This comes full circle when a school of Wishiwashi forms and the player expects the Totem battle against a School Forme Wishiwashi from ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' to take place... [[spoiler: [[BaitAndSwitchBoss and then]] a Totem [[GiantSpider Araquanid]] pounces on the forming school and takes its place as the boss battle.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'': In the second game, upon entering the arena on Cato Neimoidia, a cutscene plays out in which a huge gate opens to reveal a [[EliteMooks rancor]]. The rancor only takes a few steps forward before an absolutely enormous arm reaches out from below the arena and grabs the beast, dragging it down below. Then you're introduced to the [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever Gorog]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Subnautica}}'': The Reaper Leviathan is a fearsome, best avoided beast. But as the game goes on, the once seemingly apex predator is revealed to be both the smallest of the Leviathan class beasts and ''food'' for the other members of the class. [[spoiler: Subverted! The Sea Emperor and the Ghost Leviathan are both filter-feeders. However, the Sea Dragon Leviathan ''does'' apparently eat Reapers, and the Ghost is [[AngryGuardDog territorial and vicious enough]] to kill Reapers anyway.]]
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' features an example on one uncharted world: you can discover a number of corpses and wrecked vehicles bearing signs of [[MechaMooks geth]] weapons fire. Unfortunately for the geth, this happened in a [[SandWorm thresher maw]] nest. For another layer, you'll likely find this after killing said thresher maw.
** Another thresher maw example. The first two games make us believe that the krogan are Tuchanka's strongest beings. However, ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' introduces Kalros who, after she easily defeated a Destroyer-Class Reaper, proves to be not only the strongest being in Tuchanka, but also one of the most powerful beings in the whole galaxy, only surpassed by the Sovereign-class Reapers and the Leviathans.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' provides an hilarious example where a sidequest includes hunting down [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Zenobia]] TheButcher, a huge undead abomination with [[CombatTentacles tendrils for hands]]... and when you encounter it, a hooded little lizard with a lantern and a kitchen knife walks up to Zenobia and rams its knife into the ankle of the thing, killing it instantly. It's absolutely hilarious... unless you've fought a Tonberry in a previous game and know that the little lizard that's currently waddling towards you is more dangerous than any undead abomination could ever even ''hope'' to be...

* In ''VideoGame/DinoCrisis2'', the ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' stalking Regina and Dylan is taken down by a ''Giganotosaurus''.

* ''Webcomic/TheRemarkableRabbitBoy'': The powerful villain Bloodarm has gravely injured Foxline, the senior officer of the main character Rabbit Boy, and is about to kill Rabbit Boy. Suddenly Rabbit Boy's body gets taken over by a massive non-corporeal entity. This entity turns out to be the far more powerful villain Goliathan, who then proceeds to launch Bloodarm clear across the city with a single kick.

* ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'':
** In an early strip, Torg is about to be kissed by the ugliest woman in the world, but she is suddenly eaten by the alien that followed him from another dimension. She (the alien this time) seems about to eat him too, but he's still relieved.
** In a later strip, the Godhounds attacking the house get taken out in one panel by the Mind Wedgier, a soul-eating EldritchAbomination.
%%* Orbital beam weaponry in ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}''. [[http://www.adventurers-comic.com/d/20050709.html Oh, yes.]%%ZCE, word cruft, broken link
* ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'' closes the circle with this trope in [[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/comic/507-cheepcheep/ strip #507]], where a [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Cheep-Cheep]] is eaten by a Boss Bass, which is eaten by an Unagi, which is eaten by [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Lord Jabu-Jabu]], who is eaten by Franchise/{{Kirby}}, who then transforms into a fish... and is eaten by a Cheep-Cheep.

* In ''Webcomic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'', [[http://www.rhjunior.com/quentyn-quinn-space-ranger-0013/ a group of pirates]] attempting to capture and board a ship is viciously slaughtered by the gigantic insectoid predator crewing it.

* ''Webcomic/TerminalLance'': In [[http://terminallance.com/2014/10/07/terminal-lance-348-the-bigger-fish/ this]] strip, a bunch of lower-level enlisted personnel get to enjoy seeing their Gunnery Sergeant being chewed out by a more senior NCO[[note]]Non-Commissioned Officer[[/note]] instead of being the one giving the chewing-out to the lower-level enlisted. The title for that page is, to make the point of the strip obvious, "The Bigger Fish".
* ''Webcomic/{{Scurry}}'': Wix makes a run for the forest, because he knows the cats won't follow him in. Titan decides he hates Wix more than he fears the forest and chases him in. [[spoiler: Titan is immediately killed and eaten by the wolves that live in the forest.]]
* ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'': While infiltrating a secret research facility, the main characters are captured and given to the mercies of genetically engineered monsters. They're saved when accidental press of a button releases a pack of captive hunter daemons, [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2005-10-21/comic/facilitating-your-demise/out-of-the-frying-pan/ which quickly slaughter the other monsters]].

* ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'': In "[[http://ennuigo.thecomicseries.com/comics/1413 Little Fish]]", Max learns this trope the hard way on his first day of high school, when he decides to pick a fight against one of the bullies in his school but gets his butt easily handed to him in turn.
--> '''Bully #1''': I can clearly tell you were the biggest fish in whatever pond you came from. But middle school is over. ''Welcome to high school, bitch!'' *punches Max again, knocking him out.*

* ''WebVideo/AskThatGuyWithTheGlasses'': Ask That Guy is a thoroughly depraved, devil-worshipping murder-rapist who prides himself on answering every question in the most disturbing possible way. In Episode 44, he gives Bennett the Sage the chance to answer some questions for him, which ends with Ask That Guy lying on the floor in the fetal position as [[spoiler:Sage rapes him]].
* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' feature Lord Vyce, an interdimensional conqueror who has been slowly accumulating [[AlternateUniverse alternate realities]] into his multiversal empire. It later turns out that Vyce was a WellIntentionedExtremist who was conquering realities specifically to protect them from something called [[EldritchAbomination the Entity]]. Which means that since Vyce was the only one who could go toe-to-toe with the Entity in a physical battle, when Linkara takes Vyce out, he attracts the Entity's attention...
* ''WebVideo/BreakingTrail'''s most popular videos are an ever-growing escalation of "What stings harder than the last animal?", which started at fire ant level, and kept going to velvet ants, tarantula hawks, bullet ants, warrior wasps and finally the executioner wasp. Coyote decided he had enough with the last one, gladly crowned it King of the Sting and decided that, if something worse pops up, he wouldn't try it. He would go back on his word a couple years later to try out the sting of the cicada killer wasp, [[SubvertedTrope but it wasn't even close the sting of the executioner wasp; he only made this exception to help dispel public concern that cicada killers were the same kind of "murder wasps" as the dreaded asian giant hornets]].

* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': In 'Untamed and Uncut', an Ice Beast ends up getting squashed by K-Seal before it can really do anything.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingSizeCanary'', a Creator/TexAvery classic, has an alley cat, bulldog, mouse, and canary all squaring off against each other, and thanks to a bottle of miracle-growth tonic, they all take turns being the bigger fish and even growing bigger than the Earth itself...
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
** In "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS6E4And5StewieKillsLoisAndLoisKillsStewie Lois Kills Stewie]]", Lois describes via flashback that she took a job at a fat camp. At one point she has to take one of the campers out of another camper's mouth ([[DontExplainTheJoke 'cause he's fat see, so he'd want to eat whatever he could]]), and then she has to pull another camper out of the mouth of the camper she'd just rescued.
** Apparently {{Satan}} is no exception either, as shown by the introduction of the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Super Devil]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': In "Night of the Living Grim", Billy is attacked by a rope of zombie sausages, which are then eaten by a zombie dog.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers'': Played with in an episode where Norbert is admiring a rare fish in the river where their dam is. The fish is promptly eaten by a larger fish, which is eaten by another. This continues until the largest fish is eaten by a fish that was even smaller than the first one. Then that one is eaten by a orca whale. That episode centered all around the orca/killer whale Daggit brought to their pond after seeing it perform at a water theme park. It eventually started eating everything and everyONE, including the beavers. They are saved by a ''[[DeusExMachina T. rex]]'' that happens to eat it... and this one too was brought home by Daggett, ready to eat them in the whale's place.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'': "Child's Play" begins InMediasRes as the Decepticons capture a bunch of humans and treat them like toys before the Autobots arrive to save the day. Then, both sides end up on a planet where the inhabitants are so huge that Transformers are like toys to them.
* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'':
** At the end of "[[Recap/WanderOverYonderS1E1TheGreatestTheEgg The Egg]]", a dragon-like creature tries to eat the newborn bug monster... until its much larger mother scares him off.
** This back and forth discussion from The Brainstorm:
-->'''Lord Hater''': What if Wander throws a picnic, and invites the watchdogs, and because his pie is so gooooood, they all go?
-->'''Commander Peepers''': We'll bring giant ants.
-->'''Lord Hater''': What if he brings a giant anteater?
-->'''Commander Peepers''': We'll bring a giant anteater-eater.
-->'''Lord Hater''': What if he brings a...
-->'''Commander Peepers''': AND SO ON!
* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': Spoofed in "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS1E3AnatomyPark Anatomy Park]]", where Morty and Annie are rescued from a rampaging Hepatitis A when a larger Hepatitis C snatches it in its jaws; it then gives them both a friendly thumbs-up before going on its way. The pair is somewhat confused as to why it saved them, and Annie theorizes that Hepatitis C is just a really swell virus.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'': One amusing sequence has the girls falling into a swamp and being subjected to this repeatedly. First they run from a huge monster. Then they and the monster start running in the opposite direction from a bigger feline monster. Then all of them start running from an even bigger dinosaur. The dinosaur is puzzled when its prey suddenly run past it...only to get crushed underfoot by a much bigger dinosaur.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' has this happen in ''musical form'' after Gumball and Darwin ask a squirrel about the meaning of life.
-->'''Squirrel:''' The meaning of life has a single rule,\\
I know it makes sense though it may seem cruel.\\
The logic of the rule cannot be beaten,\\
but the meaning of life is to eat or be -\\
'''Snake:''' [Eats squirrel] The truth our friend was trying to sweeten,\\
but the meaning of life is to eat or be -\\
'''Bird:''' [Eats snake] Alas, poor snake! His life was fleeting.\\
For the meaning of life is to eat or be -\\
'''Small creature:''' [Eats bird] Allow me to finish what the bird was tweeting\\
the meaning of life is to eat or be -\\
'''Large creature:''' [Eats creature] I'm sorry our song just keeps repeating,\\
but the meaning of life is to eaaat, or be- ({{Beat}}) [[LampshadeHanging Well I guess that the biggest remains unhurt]].

** In an inversion, it's hypothesized that early orcas drove the Megalodon, the infamous monster shark, into extinction. Being half the size of Megalodon and pack hunters they would have been competing for the same prey (baleen whales and large fish) and even possibly hunting the sharks themselves.

* Starting in the 1st century and continuing until the 5th, the UsefulNotes/RomanEmpire was almost constantly being invaded by Germanic tribes with names like the Vandals, the Goths and the Alans. It turned out that all of these barbarians, who inspired fear and loathing in the Roman mind, were in fact [[InvadingRefugees fleeing]] from ''their version'' of big, scary barbarians: the Huns.

* In ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'', the protagonist himself, Ainz Ooal Gown, ''is'' the bigger fish. As the former leader of one of the most powerful guilds in Yggdrasil before being transported to the New World, he is easily able to brush off even the most powerful of this world's monsters without so much as wasting a breath.
* In ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', Nina is saved from Professor Geidlitz by Johan. What makes this better is that they were using her as bait to lure Johan in to convince him to lead their group and make "the master race" dominant once again, seeing him as the next Hitler. Anna tried to warn them that Johan didn't care about their cause or any cause. [[EvilIsNotAToy They discover too late that she's correct.]]
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Used to great effect during the BatmanColdOpen in ''[[Anime/OnePieceFilmStrongWorld Strong World]]''. Luffy is pursued by a giant alligator, which is defeated by a [[UndergroundMonkey Forest Octopus]], which is in turn defeated by a [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant preying mantis]], which is itself defeated by a [[MixAndMatchCritters gorilla-bear]], only to have that thing finished off by Luffy himself once he gets sick of this. This is inverted with the giant shark from said opening, who is devoured by a group of ravenous ant warriors.
** This also happens in the manga. One example being after the Fishman Island arc, where a fish the crew catches is then eaten by a bigger fish, which is eaten by an even bigger fish, which is then killed by Zoro.
* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'': A heroic variant in occurs in "Birth of a Child Swordsman": Yahiko is being chased by the gang of thugs he's been dealing with the entire episode. He leads them into an narrow alleyway where he can fight them one-on-one, but the thugs wise up and approach en masse, knives drawn. Then the thugs look up and notice Kenshin and Sanosuke on the wall behind Yahiko (either of whom would've been enough to make the thugs pause). Most of the thugs flee, but the leader [[RevengeBeforeReason wants to settle the score with Yahiko.]] He ends up giving Yahiko [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome his first victory in a real fight.]]
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
** In a(n even more) sinister varian, the only way to defeat Walpurgisnacht is [[spoiler:by making Madoka fight her. Doing this promptly turns her into [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the even more devastating]] Kriemhild Gretchen]].
** In the finale [[spoiler:Kriemhild Gretchen is defeated ''by Madoka'' via a {{Wishplosion}}]].
** ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'': An even more sinister version occurs with [[spoiler:Homura Akemi]], where they SummonBiggerFish using the forces of two witches and most of the Puella Magi at their best to defeat Kyubey... only for [[spoiler:Homura to turn out to be even more powerful than everyone and promptly seal both Kyubey and Madoka's power]].

* ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'': Extremely prominent, where high level predatory monsters will be dined upon by even higher level ones. Case in point, when the Four Beasts awaken from their centuries of slumber to invade the human world, one of them kills a Regal Mammoth with one attack. In earlier chapters, said Regal Mammoth was probably the largest creature seen in the series so far (being approximately one kilometer in height), and had the ability to inhale hundreds of smaller beasts through one of its two trunks and spitting bones out the other.
* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': In "[[Recap/PokemonS1E46AttackOfThePrehistoricPokemon Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon]]", Ash, Pikachu, and Team Rocket are stuck underground with some recently-awoken and very grumpy Omanytes, Omastars, Kabuto, and Kabutops. After some back-and-forth battling, the ancient Pokemon have them on the ropes when they suddenly look around in a panic and flee. Ash wonders why they're running. [[GiantFlyer Cue]] [[PrehistoricMonster Aerodactyl]].
* In ''Literature/{{Gate}}'', the heroes see a dragon in the distance moving towards them, when it is suddenly devoured by a '''much larger''' one, which then attacks them.
* In ''Manga/KillingBites'''s first battle scene, Leo is boasting about [[TheSocialDarwinist his strength makes him better than everyone else]] when Ratel gets back up and curb-stomps him. (The irony is lost on him.)

* ''ComicBook/NthManTheUltimateNinja'': This occurs when RealityWarper Alfie O'Meagan is waiting for a cosmic being called M'Gubgub. He barely avoids being stepped on by a massive alien who dwarfs the planet and proceeds to praise M'Gubgub... only for the alien to run away in a panic, as the ''galaxy-dwarfing'' M'Gubgub arrives.
* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
** ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'': In one story arc, Strange is menaced by the cosmically powerful sorceress Umar. He finds and releases an artificial EldritchAbomination called Zom which is the one thing that scares her. Needless to say this quickly backfires (if Strange couldn't handle Umar, he has no chance of containing something bigger than her), and he has to find a bigger fish yet, going through a ChainOfDeals which ends with the Living Tribunal, ''the'' single biggest fish in the entire Marvel ''Multiverse'' (apart from an unseen, vaguely-defined "[[TheMaker One-Above-All]]"). The Tribunal himself was defeated in the leadup to ''Comicbook/{{Infinity}}''. It seems this was done by the mysterious 'Rabum Alal' - Sumerian (yes, really) for "Great Destroyer" - as Black Swan, kind of his herald in a sense, calls him. And now, as of ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'', the Living Tribunal [[spoiler:is dead at the hands of the Beyonders]].
** In ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'', Gah Lak Tus is one of the biggest threats in that universe. When 616 ComicBook/{{Galactus}} arrives through a tear in reality, Gah lak Tus tries to consume him. Upon realizing that Galactus is both a kindred spirit and far more powerful, Gah Lak Tus immediately chooses to [[FusionDance merge with him]] and serve him as his new Heralds.
** Over the decades, TheWorfEffect has hit Galactus pretty hard. If you want to show your new cosmic threat is serious business, let him smack Galactus hard enough that he feels it. But the two main Bigger Fish Galactus has encountered over the years are the Beyonder, who ran roughshod over the whole Marvel Universe in ''Secret Wars II,'' and Abraxas, who it turns out is a ''multiversal'' threat held in check by the energies absorbed by the planet-eating of every Galactus in the multiverse.
** ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': After escaping Krakoa, Longshot is hunted down in the Savage Land by ComicBook/TheUltimates and confronted by the Scarlet Witch, who has probability manipulating powers like his. How does the encounter end? With Longshot turned into a cat.

* ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': Comes into play in the sequel ''Diplomat at Large''. [[spoiler:The Powers have their own pecking order of sorts; in chapter 4, Chrysalis claims Celestia overstepped hers by imprisoning Chrysalis in a volcano, and that as the Lady of Self-Centeredness, she outranks Celestia. After Cadance points out that Chrysalis attacked ''two'' other Powers unprovoked, ''another'' Power shows up to put Chrysalis in her place by stripping her of her status - Discord, since as Lord of Disharmony, Self-Centeredness is one of his sub-Powers.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'':
** Played straight early in the film when the frogfish that just ate [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's car is itself eaten by an ''enormous'' deep-sea eel. [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's [[http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/g33PYjkPy0s/maxresdefault.jpg shocked expressions]] are priceless, to the point of becoming a {{meme|ticMutation}} -- at least, Patrick's did.
** PlayedForLaughs later on when Dennis the BountyHunter finally catches up to [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. [[spoiler:Dennis goes to step on [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, [[BaitAndSwitchBoss only to be stomped on by the "Cyclops".]]]] Patrick even yells out "Bigger Boot!"
* In ''WesternAnimation/HelpImAFish'', the main characters are collecting ingredients to make a potion to turn them back into humans, but run into trouble getting an octopus to squirt ink, as it is much bigger than they are and thus just grabs them. It does eventually squirt ink and swim away, which Fly attributes to their screaming scaring it off, but was really because of the [[ThreateningShark great white shark approaching]]...

* ''WesternAnimation/FindingDory'' has a pretty hilarious example. When the truck containing the fish falls into the ocean, a small fish gets eaten by a bigger fish, which gets eaten by an even bigger fish. Suddenly, the even bigger fish sneezes and spits out the slightly smaller fish, which in turn spits out the smallest fish.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime IV: Journey Through the Mists'' has the kids pursued by a nearly-blind ''Deinosuchus'', Dil, while her [[VitriolicBestBuds partner Ichy]] acts as her eyes. They continually argue about not needing each other, but just when Dil finally gets fed up and sends Ichy flying off, she realizes there is angry ''Hydrotherosaurus'' towering over her.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', as Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar travel in a sub through the watery core of Naboo, this happens twice in a row: their sub is first attacked by a crablike [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Opee_sea_killer opee sea killer]], and then later by a serpentine [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Colo_claw_fish colo claw fish]]. On both occasions, a ''massive'' [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sando_aqua_monster sando aqua monster]] comes along and eats the smaller predator.
-->'''Qui-Gon:''' There's [[TropeNamers always a bigger fish]].
* ''Franchise/JurassicPark'':
** The heroes of ''Film/JurassicPark'' are about to get eaten by ''Velociraptors'', but the ''T. rex'' shows up, trounces the raptors and saves the day. How it appeared there without anyone noticing, or why the protagonists are now less terrified than they were earlier, remains completely unexplained (there was a barely noticeable hole in the wall it possibly came in through). [[WordOfGod According to the producers]], they were struggling with the ending when they came to the realization that it was really the hero of the movie, and that was when everything fell into place.
** In ''Film/JurassicParkIII'', the heroes run from a ''Spinosaurus'' straight into the hunting grounds of a ''T. rex''. The ''Spinosaurus'' [[spoiler:"rescues" the heroes [[TheWorfEffect by killing]] the ''T. rex'']], but later begins chasing them again.
** In ''Film/JurassicWorld'', the ''Indominus rex'' proves too much for everything thrown at her [[spoiler: until the ''T. rex'' knocks her through a fence to the edge of the lagoon and [[SeaMonster the mosasaur]] eats her]].
** In ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'', a ''Carnotaurus'' sees Owen and is ready to pounce on him for its dinner. That's when Rexy comes to the rescue again and [[CurbStompBattle easily subdues]] the smaller theropod with a MightyRoar.
* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'', the eponymous gang of nine are in the deeps of Moria surrounded by countless goblins... until the goblins themselves start running for their very lives. Turns out a Balrog, an ancient demon and one of the most powerful entities in all Arda had woken up and was ''really'' mad.
* ''Film/StarTrek2009'' has this happen when Kirk is abandoned on an ice planet. He gets chased by some sort of space polar bear. After a while another massive creature smashes through the ice and kills it -- [[SuperPersistentPredator and then promptly throws the large slab of meat it just caught to chase down Kirk]].
* ''Film/KingKong2005'':
** While escaping from Kong's lair Ann runs into a pair of the crocodilian monsters, Foetodon who spot and chase her down, she tries to hide in a hollow log, which prompts one of the Foetodon to tear at the wood to try to get her. Only for the creature's eyes to suddenly wide and it to scream in horror as something drags it out of the log and kills it scaring off the other one, after Ann runs out of the log to avoid getting attacked by a group of giant centipedes in it, she comes face to face with her [[BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork unintentional savior]] who then proceeds to [[FromBadToWorse chase her down]]: Vastatosaurus Rex.
** In one scene during the extended cut, the film crew is attacked by a swarm of large aquatic centipedes while rafting down a swamp. All the centipedes abruptly retreat at once, and after a moment of discomforting silence, the rafts are now attacked by a [[SeaMonster Piranhadon]] which rams the makeshift boats to splinters.
** Kong himself is a near constant example of this trope in the first half of the movie, as he repeatedly kills a number of animals that are trying to eat Anne Darrow from the lowly Terapusmordax to the massive aforementioned Vastatosaurus even when they outnumber him 3 to 1. All to show who unambiguously rules Skull Island.

* ''Literature/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'': In the Creator/BrendanFraser version, the heroes are saved from vicious coelacanth-type fish by plesiosaur-like sea monsters.

* ''Film/TheColourOfMagic'': Subverted when a sinking pirate ship is devoured by a sea monster the size of a village... which shortly washes up dead on an island, as the ''smaller'' fish it swallowed along with the ship just happened to be the Luggage. Which kicked it to death from the inside.

* In ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', the ([[AsTheGoodBookSays very religious]]) sniper finishes off wave after wave of German infantry - until he stares down the barrel of a [[TankGoodness Marder Self-Propelled Gun]]. From a clocktower, no less.
* ''Film/SharknadoThe4thAwakens'': Taken UpToEleven: Finn gets swallowed by a shark, which is then swallowed by a larger shark, which is swallowed by an even larger shark, which is swallowed by a still larger shark, which is swallowed by... [[ArtisticLicenseBiology a blue whale]].
* ''Film/BloodSurf'': Memorably, at one point the crocodile saves one of the main characters from a shark. Then later eats him too.
* ''Film/RimOfTheWorld'': The Purge Mask gang is about to kill the kids to steal and sell their key, and it's clear that the kids have no way to get out of the situation. Then the alien comes along and wipes out the gang in a few minutes.
* ''{{Film/Abominable}}'': Dr. Suessmeyer insists "This is not {{Bigfoot|SasquatchAndYeti}}. This is bigger than Bigfoot. And meaner."
* Done twice in ''Film/TheMeg'', first when the deep sea expedition is attacked by a giant squid, which gets eaten by the titular prehistoric shark. And second, [[spoiler: when they kill the ''first'' megalodon only for an even bigger one to eat the corpse and use its blood to breach the thermocline]].

* In ''Literature/TwoSerpentsRise'', the Caleb woke the King in Red to curb-stomp high priest Temoc when the fanatic tried to sacrifice his best friend.
* Creator/JonathanSwift [[InvertedTrope flips this on its head]] when remarking on how any given parasite must surely have its own, smaller parasites feeding off of it -- whatever fish may do, there's always a smaller flea.
-->''So nat'ralists observe, a flea\\
Hath smaller fleas that on him prey,\\
And these have smaller fleas that bite 'em,\\
And so proceed ''ad infinitum''.''
* In ''Literature/WatershipDown'', after Hazel and Co. are attacked by General Woundwort, a massive dog is led into General Woundwort's forces, who naturally run. General Woundwort himself stays to beat up the dog. It's worth noting that most of the characters are non-anthropomorphic rabbits, with the exception of Kehaar the seagull. It's not entirely certain who was the Bigger Fish here, as they NeverFoundTheBody afterwards.
* ''Literature/TufVoyaging'': Subverted. WildCard Rica Dawnstar has Tuf outgunned and at her mercy, and refuses to believe him when he tries to point out the ''T. rex'' creeping up behind her. It looks like this trope will kick in... then it turns out she was toying with Tuf, and had the Phlebotinium to control the ''T. rex'' all along.
* Used for the TwistEnding of ''Literature/OutOfTheDark''. Thought you could wipe out humanity, aliens? [[spoiler:Cue the vampires.]]

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' sees this happen a few times.

** ''Literature/SmallFavor'' also has a sequence where Harry's trying to get away from a FallenAngel, only for [[spoiler:the fairy assassin Eldest Brother Gruff]] to show up and take out the guy without even trying.
* ''Literature/{{Nightside}}'': Used in ''Nightingale's Lament'' when a limo Taylor is riding in is about to be attacked by a predator camouflaged as another car. Before it can do any damage, the critter is picked up and carried off by something ''huge'' with talons and wings.

* ''Literature/JustSoStories'': In "The Butterfly That Stamped", King Solomon tries to arrange for all the animals in the world to be fed at once, only for some tremendous monster to rise out of the sea, eat everything in three bites and reveal that it was only the smallest of thirty thousand such titans.
-->''Once he tried to feed all the animals in all the world in one day, but when the food was ready an Animal came out of the deep sea and ate it up in three mouthfuls. Suleiman-bin-Daoud was very surprised and said, "O Animal, who are you?" And the Animal said, "O King, live for ever! I am the smallest of thirty thousand brothers, and our home is at the bottom of the sea. We heard that you were going to feed all the animals in all the world, and my brothers sent me to ask when dinner would be ready."''

* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'', Harry and Hermione are surrounded by an angry mob of centaurs. Just as the situation is looking rather grim, a giant shows up, scattering the herd and chasing them into the forest. Hermione, characteristically, is worried about the centaurs. It's worth noting that these centaurs, in turn, had gotten rid of Dolores Umbridge, the FauxAffablyEvil Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and the centaurs were angry BECAUSE Hermione had [[SummonBiggerFish manipulated them into getting rid of Umbridge.]]
* ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'': In ''Literature/TheScarletCitadel'', Conan, as DistressedDude, is menaced by a giant snake, which is scared away by a man coming to kill Conan for killing his brother. The snake then comes back and eats that man. Then the snake pops up again... and ''he's'' scared of the wizard Conan has freed and races off again for real this time.
* In Peter Benchley's "Beast", the titular giant squid is moments from finishing the remaining characters when it is attacked, killed, and presumably eaten by an equally massive sperm whale.
* In Martin Gardner's "Thang" the titular being starts eating the solar system but is interrupted by an even larger being scooping him up and swallowing him.
--> For there are other gods than Thang.
* ''Literature/RealmOfTheElderlings'': In the third book of the ''Liveship Traders'' trilogy, Bingtown is being completely overrun by the Chalcedonians... when the last of the ancient race of [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] wakes from her unexpectedly lengthy slumber, and goes looking in Bingtown for those responsible for her awakening. The Chalcedonians fire arrows at her in terror, and, in response, she effortlessly kills them all.

* ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine'': In ''Heroes Die'', Hari spends much of the book being harassed by Administrator Kollberg. At the end, he is arrested by the Social Police.
* ''Literature/AgathaHAndTheVoiceOfTheCastle'': Threats found in the rafters of Castle Heterodyne include bloodbats, which eat people, spider-roaches, which also eat people, and venomous rafter toads, which eat the bloodbats and spider-roaches. And the occasional person.
* ''Literature/TheCrusaders'':
** The first book has the Earth almost destroyed by the first arc's villain, Dr. Anarchy, who was legitimately a big deal. Then the Brutikai warrior, Glorien, walks in and [[VillainTeamUp recruits]] him.
** Darkstar shows up in volume two, and is powerful enough to annihilate Mind Master and Starbolt in combat without resting between the fights, something even Glorien couldn't pull off.
* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': There are all kinds of monstrous creatures in a Chaotic Zone. Kallen once faced a giant lizard thing when a much bigger monster came out of the Fog and ate it. She ran away to make sure she wasn't next on the menu.
* ''Literature/TheOneWhoEatsMonsters'': Ryn is the bigger fish. She mentions early on that there is absolutely nothing in the city that can truly challenge her--the really dangerous monsters are out in the wilds, and she's killed most of those anyway. When the villains attack her with a weapon forged by their master, that can kill any god weaker than him, Ryn performs a BulletCatch with only minimal difficulty and destroys the weapon.
* ''Literature/CradleSeries'': At every plateau of power, a sacred artist is practically undefeatable to anyone below them. Coppers can easily defeat Foundation, Irons can defeat Coppers, Jades can defeat Irons. There is a level above Jade, Gold, but there hasn't been a Gold in Sacred Valley in hundreds of years. And then Lindon finds out that the outside world considers Gold to be the first real level of the sacred arts--most people reach that level in their teens.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Discord is generally the most powerful entity in the show, until all of his magic is stolen by Lord Tirek.
* ''WesternAnimation/BlackDynamite'': In one episode the titular hero is on an island lost to time similar to King Kong's when he's attacked by a giant white wolf. He pulls his weapon but waits until the wolf is eaten by a bigger raptor. Then waits for the raptor to be eaten by a giant spider before finally taking said spider down with a single bullet. Now THAT is how you conserve ammo.

* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder''

* In ''[[TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu]],'' it is sometimes possible to summon the god Nodens to attack whatever primordial horror is pestering you. It's clear that Nodens doesn't give a fig about ''you,'' but he enjoys going after other primordial entities.