History Main / AppealToForce

** ''Film/ANewHope'': The Death Star was explicitly built for this purpose, as Grand Moff Tarkin explains: a planet that refuses to submit to the rule of the Empire will be destroyed. Demonstrated when Tarkin threatens to destroy Princess Leia's home planet of Alderaan if she doesn't give him the location of the Rebel base... [[KickTheDog and then blows it up anyway to prove to every other planet that he can carry the threat out]]. And (by blowing up Alderaan instead of the remote Dantooine that Leia had claimed was the location of the Rebel base) proving not only that he ''can'' blow up a planet, but that he ''will'' blow up ''any'' planet, even the "important" ones among the Core Worlds. Then it backfires when the Rebels blow up said Death Star, meaning everyone knows that the Empire will blow up any planet and currently has no way of doing so.

** Magi can also resolve disputes through the formal, non-lethal WizardDuel ''certamen''. Outcomes are legally binding and refusal of a duel is equivalent to a forfeit.

** {{Defied}} on a large scale. Not only will use of atomics on living targets bring the wrath of the rest of the universe down on you but the most (directly) powerful faction turns out to have no military to speak of at all; guaranteed trade and economic growth is far more important than a few million lives here or there. Further, most of the players recognize that politics and power are actually a complicated web of balances and counterbalances, and blatant use of raw power rarely produces the results you intended. The Bene Gesserit especially understand this, and Leto II took it further. In the ''Dune'' world, a direct-approach power player is almost surely being manipulated by someone else toward some end he doesn't even imagine. The Beast Rabban, for example.

* Crops up on occasion in the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series. The central conflict In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' is between the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave, both of whom rely on superior technology and firepower to claim dominion over the Capital Wasteland.

* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': Throughout the film series, there is one reason why the pirates go crazy with performing LoopholeAbuse of the Pirates' Code instead of [[ScrewTheRulesTheyreNotReal going "we're pirates, duh, screw the Code!"]]; and that is Captain Edward Teach, the Keeper of the Code, who will make sure they are very, very dead if they so much as voice that thought.

** [[spoiler:Undead Emperor Palpatine]] [[RecycledScript repeats the gambit]] from ''Film/ANewHope'' in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', this time armed with an entire fleet of star destroyers that each carry a planet-killing WaveMotionGun.

Frequently the next step if ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem does not work, and related to ScrewTheRulesTheyreNotReal in that you're rejecting the need to make a true "argument". Other related tropes include FisticuffProvokingComment, HobbesWasRight, MutuallyAssuredDestruction, ShootTheShaggyDog, SexualExtortion, QuestionableConsent, and SwordOfDamocles.

* In ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'', if a magus is prosecuted for a violation of the Code of Hermes, declares Wizard's War on the prosecuting principle, and kills the magus in question, the charge is dismissed. This is even true if the prosecuting principle is a Quaesitor (the judges and lawyers of the Order), though only the mightiest magi can expect to triumph in this.

* ''Film/ThePatriot''. When Benjamin Martin tries to reason with Col. Tavington about his brutal conduct by citing the Rules of War, Tavington responds by aiming a pistol at his head and asks him if he would "[[DeadlyEuphemism like a lesson in the rules of war]]". [[AndYourLittleDogToo Then he points it at Martin's children]]. Tavington's own superior is disgusted with his methods, though he still eventually decides they're necessary to defeat the rebels, and thus save his career ([[ForegoneConclusion not that it works]]).

* ''ComicStrip/ThePhantom'': In the first issue of the 1989 comicbook series, a group of bandits posing as British soldiers raid an African village and are summarily crushed by the titular hero. When the bandit chief protests they are authorized by the Queen, the Phantom coldly replies he is the only authority figure that they should be worried about.

** This is implied to be Hobert's back-up plan in case he would not manage to secure Raylansfair for House Lowther. The presence of Argella Durrandon and her troops kind of ruined this plan for him, but even without her, it is highly questionable if it would have ever succeeded.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': Kyril Sutherland ''isn't'' a bully who craves to possess, dominate or impose his values on others, but he is definitely an AntiHero, since he has no qualms about explicitly or implicitly threatening people with force, either to achieve his objectives or get any belligerents out of the way. The fact that he is a [[NighInvulnerability nigh-unkillable]] individual of [[TheDreaded dreaded]] repute helps a lot. Consider this exchange in Chapter 13 of the original:

* In the [[FilmOfTheBook 1968 film version]] of ''Theatre/TheLionInWinter'', King Philip of France complains to King Henry II of England over some territory the latter has taken from him, asking by what right he holds it. Henry cheerfully replies "It's got my troops all over it-that makes it mine."

--> ''"Okay!"''

** Less so in the prequels (written by Herbert's son and Creator/KevinJAnderson), as shown by the rabid House Moritani that has no qualms about attacking anyone who so much as looks as them sideways, completely ignoring Landsraad rules (including Kanli). How does TheEmperor respond (especially since their actions were openly endangering the Imperium)? By shaking his finger at them. It's no wonder that they get bolder and bolder. By the end, the ruler of the House is openly threatening the Emperor with a nuke. Luckily, his [[TheDragon Dragon]] turned out not to approve of his boss's methods.

*** PlayedForLaughs at the end of ''Solo Command''. [[spoiler:Gara Petothel, an ex-Imperial Intelligence operative who was a member of Wraith Squadron under her "Lara Notsil" pseudonym, sends Han Solo's task force a message for her LoveInterest Myn Donos under her new pseudonym "Kirney Slane". Han orders the message forwarded to Myn and not reported to New Republic Intelligence (Petothel is wanted for espionage but pulled a HeelFaceTurn and helped them beat Warlord Zsinj), on the grounds that this is "somebody named Kirney Slane" and not Petothel. The communications officer protests, and Han offers to have [[TheBigGuy Chewbacca]] come up to the bridge and explain things to him.]]

* In ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'''s generally post-apocalyptic, ScavengerWorld America, [[LadyLand Azania]] exerts a powerful appeal far beyond its borders: its functioning modern economy, medicine, and advanced technology are attractive to many, and so are its women-friendly policies and its tolerance of LGBT people and other minorities. The country's chief enemy, the reactionary, fundamentalist-dominated, anti-technological and moderately-to-heavily misogynist [[EvilReactionary Northern Confederation]], realize that its ideas will be more appealing to many than their own, and that Azania, even without actively interfering in their politics, functions as an example and beacon of hope to their dissidents. So rather than debating politics, they contrive an excuse for war, intending to crush their ideological opponents with military force and thus silence all dissent. (In case you're wondering, the Confederates are supposed to be the ''heroes''.)

* Done by Granny Weatherwax in ''Literature/WyrdSisters'' when she threatens to boil a demon alive unless it tells them what the hell is going on. The demon (who had spent their last questions being a LiteralGenie and [[MathematiciansAnswer intentionally answering in an obtuse as manner as possible]]) weakly protests this is against the rules but quickly relents when it's made very clear Granny isn't joking.

* Near the end of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'''s final story-arc, John Crichton casually strolls into a high-level diplomatic meeting between the [[LizardFolk Scarran]] Emperor and [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Peacekeeper]] Commandant Grayza (as well as their lackeys among the Charrids and Kalish) on the Scarran capital moon, [[spoiler:Katratzi]]. At first not killing him simply because they're stunned he arrived, the Scarran Emperor asks why they should let him live another minute. Crichton then pulls open his coat to reveal that he is carrying a home-made nuclear bomb, which forces the Emperor to call off his guards. Crichton then starts merrily strolling around the room while detailing the various deadman switches that the bomb operates on...then starts walking around on tables as he explains that the reason he has come is that he can't keep running forever, so he's settled for a new plan in which he will sell wormhole technology to the highest bidder among the assembled galactic political superpowers: in exchange for the bidder's protection he'll basically sell them galactic dominance. [[spoiler:Crichton was, of course, lying. His real plan was to gain access to the Katratzi to rescue Aeryn from Scarran custody, and then, to plant the nuclear bomb in a vital area of the base and "blow up the Death Star".]]

*** Mal also pulls this in the end of the second episode while dealing with [[TheDreaded Adelai Niska's]] dragon Crow. Mal gives him a big speech about how they're cancelling the job but returning Niska's money. Crow gives Mal a big speech right back about how he's going to hunt down and torture Mal to death. Mal simply says, "Darn," and [[TurbineBlender kicks him into the ship's engine intake]]. Mal then grabs the next goon and starts to give him the same speech; the mook very quickly agrees to Mal's terms before he can finish the spiel's first sentence.

*** A recurring theme. Aegon the Conqueror didn't seize the kingdoms because he had any claim or right, he seized them because he could. Power may come from knowledge, the gods, or be derived from the law, but ultimately a swordsman decides whether the king, the priest or the rich man live or die.

** This is a valid legal argument in the Clan justice system. As they are a ProudWarriorRace, ''any'' decision not already settled through battle or a Trial can be nullified through a [[TrialByCombat Trial of Refusal]], in which the defender essentially fights their accuser(s) for the right to undo the decision. Because the Clans aren't ''complete'' idiots, however, they built the system so that the odds you face is equal to the degree by which you were found guilty: A "he said, she said" situation DecidedByOneVote boils down to a 1 vs 1 duel between accuser and defender. A 16-person council finding one side unanimously guilty, meanwhile, means 17-to-1 odds as the defendant has to put down the prosecutor ''and'' everyone else who agreed with them. Though as a victory with 17-to-1 odds isn't very impressive so there's usually a considerable amount voluntary reduction in force before the fight actually starts.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'': [[DependingOnTheWriter Depending on the edition]], The Computer is either a mad dictator, hopelessly senile or a well-intentioned maintenance system that's been reprogrammed one time too many. Regardless, the entire society it maintains accepts its InsaneTrollLogic and obeys immediately because anyone who disagrees with it (or even just seems unhappy with its pronouncements) is shot. Or [[TwoPlusTortureEqualsFive worse]].

** Lothar is a powerful, eccentric and immortal {{Necromancer}} who lives in Sigil and pretty much ignores the existence of the city's civil service and mortal authorities through this trope. Since the only being in Sigil who ''could'' regulate his activities is The Lady, and Lothar doesn't do anything that warrants her attention (he collects the souls of the already dead, which does not involve killing people or disrupting the order of the city), the rest of Sigil leaves him alone.
** Demon Lords rule layers of the Abyss this way. Demons are way too chaotic to have any proper government, so the strongest demons are the rulers, plain and simple. Guys like Demogorgon and Orcus are constantly fighting bloody wars in efforts to gain more territory and followers.

* Played for laughs in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''. A woman on Omega is trying to get back into a district that is under quarantine due to a plague killing non-humans. When Shepard shows up, the guard lets them right through, and answers the woman's complaint with, "You don't have a grenade launcher, lady. Get lost."

* ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'': [[Myth/KingArthur Arthur]] says he ''hates'' [[http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0660.htm dealing with bullies]], since "one must use their own methods against them, because it's all they understand." However, [[http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0825.htm when innocents are harmed]], he and his knights are more than willing to give those who harmed them [[http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0837.htm a taste of their own medicine]].

* This is the principle by which Baron Wulfenbach rules Europa in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' despite only being a mere Baron (roughly equivalent to a lieutenant commanding an entire army)- he has the most powerful military (including an entire fleet of airships, the alleigance of the Jagers and the Dreen among other deadly creatures, and a host of destructive technology captured from other defeated Sparks) so nobody in Europa can oppose him. He's a very benvolent tyrant who rules by only two rules: anyone who finds anything relating to [[TheDreaded The Other]] must turn it over to him ''immediately'', and "Don't make me come over there" (i.e "do what you want as long as you don't start a war"). But when you cross him, he will kick your ass.

** [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0125.html Roy convinces him early on]] that he can't kill team-mates for XP on the basis that Roy will kill him if he tries.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' has Jorgen von Strangle, the self-proclaimed strongest fairy in the universe, who uses this sometime. One of the ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons'' shorts had him using this to win every award at a fairy award show.

** In "[[Recap/FuturamaS2E17WarIsTheHWord War Is The H-Word]]", Bender has a bomb implanted inside his body and it will "detonate the instant the robot unwittingly speaks a certain word", wiping out an entire planet. It's the one word he uses more than any other: [[spoiler:ASS]]. After finding that out he starts a game of "Make Bender happy or he blows up the planet!".

* According to Carl von Clausewitz, "War is the continuation of Politik by other means". ''However'', [[ExactWords focus on the words alone]] [[LostInTranslation has often led to significant misunderstanding]]. One common (mis-)interpretation is that he meant '[[TwistingTheWords when diplomacy fails use the military]]'. What he actually meant is that wars are generally political and (are intended to) serve political ends. In short, 'We fight for things and not for fighting's sake'. This was a counter-argument to the argument (which he posited earlier in the text) that war was [[BloodKnight always fought for its own sake and had no political dimension]], a position which he examined extensively and determined 'made no bloody sense'.

* China relies on this for some of the stunts it pulls in the South China Sea, such as unilaterally expanding its airspace, betting that no one will call them on it because it would be too costly to fight a war over it. In fact, this is basically their bread-and-butter in-general, as they completely disregard international laws and will basically do whatever they want, because they (apparently) believe themselves to be powerful, and, therefore, the laws don't apply to them.

** The Roman Empire was inherently unstable as the office of Emperor wasn't exactly a formal title, and there was no legal means of succession (some Emperor's got around this by appointing a younger co-Emperor who would become sole Emperor on their death). This meant that whoever could bring the biggest army to Rome would become Emperor. In bad times, multiple Emperors would briefly hold the position, there was the "Year of the Four Emperors (AD 69)", "The Year of the Five Emperors (AD 193) and the "Year of the Six Emperors (AD 238)".

* One faction of early Muslim leaders claimed to be descended from one of [[UsefulNotes/TheProphetMuhammad Muhammed]]'s daughters. When asked to provide evidence of this by a group of scholars the leader apparently drew his sword, placed it against the man's neck and said "this is my evidence". The scholars decided not to press the issue.

* There is a story about a group of UsefulNotes/{{T|heKnightsTemplar}}emplars who were put on trial in a small village a short time after the order was declared heretical. This group, being the dominant military power in the area, arrived to their trial mounted on horseback, fully armed and armored. They were all acquitted and set free.

* China relies on this for some of the stunts it pulls in the South China Sea, such as unilaterally expanding its airspace, betting that no one will call them on it because it would be too costly to fight a war over it. This is basically their specialty in-general, as they completely disregard international laws and will do whatever they want because they believe themselves to be powerful, and, therefore, the laws don't apply to them.

-->'''Bandit Chief:''' "We're soldiers, damn you, authorized to seize this land by--"\\

* ''Fanfic/ForumOfThrones'': This is implied to be Hobert's back-up plan in case he would not manage to secure Raylansfair for House Lowther. The presence of Argella Durrandon and her troops kind of ruined this plan for him, but even without her, it is highly questionable if it would have ever succeeded.

** ''Film/ANewHope'': The Death Star was explicitly built for this purpose, as Grand Moff Tarkin explains: a planet that refuses to submit to the rule of the Empire will be destroyed. Demonstrated when Tarkin threatens to destroy Princess Leia's home planet of Alderaan if she doesn't give him the location of the Rebel base... [[KickTheDog and then blows it up anyway to prove to every other planet that he can carry the threat out]]. And (by blowing up Alderaan instead of the remote Dantooine that Leia had claimed was the location of the Rebel base) proving not only that he ''can'' blow up a planet, but that he ''will'' blow up ''any'' planet, even the "important" ones among the Core Worlds.

* In ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', society has collapsed after the nuclear war and the only left law is "the strongest does however he pleases". Gangs of bandits roam around the wastelands, raiding and pillaging convoys and villages and killing weak, helpless people.

** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Darth Vader keeps [[MovingTheGoalposts changing the terms]] with Lando Calrissian, knowing that with the Empire holding all the cards, he doesn't have to keep his word. [[spoiler:[[VillainBall This backfires]], as Lando decides that if Vader won't keep his word to him, then he's got no reason to hold up his end, either, and so helps Leia and Chewbacca escape.]]

[[caption-width-right:250:Simone Weil always was a real straight-shooter.]]

[[folder: Religion & Myth]]

->Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
-->'''[[Literature/TheBible Matthew 10:28]]'''

* Kyril Sutherland from ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' is ''not'' a bully who craves to possess, dominate or impose his values on others, but he is definitely an AntiHero, since he has no qualms about explicitly or implicitly threatening people with force, either to achieve his objectives or get any belligerents out of the way. The fact that he is a [[NighInvulnerability nigh-unkillable]] individual of [[TheDreaded dreaded]] repute helps a lot. Consider this exchange in Chapter 13 of the original:

* Late-game meetings with the Dark assembly in the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games can seem a bit this way, especially if youre using new game+. If your proposal gets denied, your insanely overpowered team can beat the senators into submission without breaking a sweat.

* People studying or writing about medieval history frequently make significant emphasis on "claims to the throne", fundamentally the idea that being descended from a previous title-holder makes one more worthy of the title than the incumbent. Such claims are even the basis for mechanics in some video games like the ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'' series. The truth is, claims were really just propaganda to justify trying to seize the throne to potential co-conspirators: these things were usually settled on the battlefield. Notably, [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor King Henry VII Tudor of England]], the final winner of the UsefulNotes/WarsOfTheRoses, had no discernible claim to the throne whatsoever: he was a distant, matrilineal descendant of an illegitimate son of [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfPlantagenet Edward III Plantagenet]], and was crowned primarily because he was the leader of the coalition that defeated and killed the incumbent Richard III.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': Two examples from "[[Recap/FireflyE02TheTrainJob The Train Job]]":
** As Jayne Cobb would say: "You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you know who's in ruttin' command here!" Turns out to be an example of a DefiedTrope: Simon knew he'd try and do this so he pulled a "Screw the Rules, I have tranqs!" gambit by injecting Jayne with an anaesthetic while patching him up from an injury. Jayne's bid for power occurred just as the anaesthetic started to kick in, resulting in him falling asleep before he could complete his take-over. The crew was extremely relieved by Simon's foresight.
** Mal also pulls this in the end of the second episode while dealing with [[TheDreaded Adelai Niska's]] dragon Crow. Mal gives him a big speech about how they're cancelling the job but returning Niska's money. Crow gives Mal a big speech right back about how he's going to hunt down and torture Mal to death. Mal simply says, "Darn," and [[TurbineBlender kicks him into the ship's engine intake]]. Mal then grabs the next goon and starts to give him the same speech; the mook very quickly agrees to Mal's terms before he can finish the spiel's first sentence.
** “Safe” has this with the “we’ll blow a new crater in this here moon” scene, but they’re banking on the settlers not realizing the ship has no guns. That said, they do have Jayne and he has big guns and probably grenades..

* ''[[Franchise/ASongOfIceAndFire Game of Thrones]]'' universe:

--->'''Roy:''' I'll take it.

* ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'': TokenEvilTeammate Belkar has been on both ends of this trope