History Main / BreathHoldingBrat

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe1'', Agnes uses this technique to convince Gru to buy her a new unicorn toy[[note]]in fairness, the one she had was disintegrated by no fault of her own[[/note]]. When Gru refuses, she pretends to faint, freaking him out. When Gru finally caves, she sneakily opens one eye while smirking. Margo implies she has done this numerous times before.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode, "[[Recap/RugratsS4E13TheTurkeyWhoCameToDinner The Turkey Who Came to Dinner]]", Angelica tries to tell her father Drew about a live turkey in Tommy's backyard that she intends to have the adults cook and eat, but he and Stu are too busy watching many football games to pay attention to her. Angelica manages to get Drew's attention by holding her breath until he gives in. When Angelica takes Drew outside, the babies hide the turkey, and thus Drew believes Angelica made the turkey up.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': There is a comic where the Beagle Boys accidentally kidnap the bratty child of a rich couple. The kid is an extremely SpoiledBrat who tends to hold his breath to get what he wants, even managing to convince the Beagles to play with him with this technique. He is so annoying that his parents initially let the Beagles ''[[PityTheKidnapper keep]]'' [[PityTheKidnapper the kid while they enjoy some peace and quiet]].

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': There is a comic where the Beagle Boys accidentally kidnap the bratty child of a rich couple. The kid is an extremely SpoiledBrat who tends to hold his breath to get what he wants, even managing to convince the Beagles to play with him with this technique. He is so annoying that his parents initially let the Beagles ''keep'' the kid while they enjoy some peace and quiet.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Garfield's Thanksgiving]]'', Jon holds his breath until Liz says she'll go out with him. She eventually agrees after Jon faints from holding his breath in.

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* In the ''WebVideo/SuperMarioLogan'' episode "Jeffy's Tantrum" (before it was taken down), One of Jeffy's tactics of getting Mario to purchase a $2.99 game for his iPad was to hold his breath until he dies.
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* In ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'', U.N.I.T.Y tries to use this tactic, but since she's a zombie and doesn't actually need to breathe it fails.

* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': In "Sir Ed-a-Lot", Sarah does this to force Edd and Eddy to participate in her tea party (and Eddy to wear a dress).

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Referenced in "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" as one of the [[MultipleChoicePast multiple explanations]] for why Homer is dumb.

* In an example of an adult doing it, during the episode "Beer and Loathing" of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Bill, a FatIdiot who has some clear Manchild tendencies, threatens to do this when Hank has been let in on a secret involving their favorite beer company, and refuses to tell them. Dale lampshades the inevitable outcome when Bill does so.
--> '''Dale:''' He'll pass out before he dies, [[NoodleIncident he always does...]]

* A rare positive example of this trope shows up in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy."'' In "Billy and the Bully," the nasty [[TheBully Sperg]] is tormenting Irwin on the playground, so Billy asks him to stop. When Sperg responds with a threatening "Or ''what?''", Billy takes a giant breath and then holds it...for about eight hours. It doesn't prevent Sperg from coming back and giving him a massive wedgie, though.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/COPSAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Case of the Ransomed Rascal", Prince Baddin of Rashiland holds his breath to make Hardtop and Longarm agree to his demands to go shopping for toys.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': The Collector, a powerful RealityWarper [[GooGooGodlike with the mentality of a kindergartener]], at one point threatens to hold their breath for ''a million years'' unless another character reveals a plan to them. They don't end up following through, but given that breathing is likely entirely optional for them they probably actually could have.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BabyLooneyTunes'',Melissa wants a shovel for digging holes at the beach but Floyd disagrees and this results in her holding her breath until she inflates and turns purple.

-->-- '''Margo Gru''', ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe''

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Agnes uses this technique to convince Gru to buy her a new unicorn toy[[note]]in fairness, the one she had was disintegrated by no fault of her own[[/note]]. When Gru refuses, she pretends to faint, freaking him out. When Gru finally caves, she sneakily opens one eye while smirking. Margo implies she has done this numerous times before.

[[quoteright:248:[[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hold_breath_till_demands_are_met.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:248:That only took three panels.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': The page image comes from ''Recap/AsterixInSpain'', in which Pepe, the BrattyHalfPint son of the Spanish chief Huevos y Bacon, is very fond of using this tactic, to the point that it becomes a RunningGag. When Obelix sees how effective it is, he starts using it himself. At one point, Pepe, Obelix, ''[[UpToEleven and Dogmatix]]'' simultaneously do this till Asterix agrees to visit a nearby ship to ask for provisions.

A popular form of [[StopOrIShootMyself taking yourself hostage]] for many a SpoiledBrat or BrattyHalfPint (or occasionally, a [[{{Manchild}} childish adult]]) who is denied something he/she wants. Simply hold your breath and threaten to continue doing so until either the person you're dealing with gives in to your demands, or you pass out (or worse[[note]]Which isn't going to happen unless external circumstances cause it since breathing is only a semi-voluntary reflex, which will automatically come back when you go unconscious - unless you, say, fall face-first into water, hit your head on the way down, or with something obstructing your breath.[[/note]]) from asphyxiation.

[[folder: Comedy Albums]]

A popular form of [[StopOrIShootMyself taking yourself hostage]] for many a SpoiledBrat or BrattyHalfPint (or occasionally, a [[ManChild childish adult]]) who is denied something he/she wants. Simply hold your breath and threaten to continue doing so until either the person you're dealing with gives in to your demands, or you pass out (or worse[[note]]Which isn't going to happen unless external circumstances cause it since breathing is only a semi-voluntary reflex, which will automatically come back when you go unconscious - unless you, say, fall face-first into water, hit your head on the way down, or with something obstructing your breath.[[/note]]) from asphyxiation.

A popular form of [[StopOrIShootMyself taking yourself hostage]] for many a SpoiledBrat or BrattyHalfPint (or occasionally, a [[ManChild childish adult]]) who is denied something he/she wants. Simply hold your breath and threaten to continue doing so until either the person you're dealing with gives in to your demands, or you pass out (or worse[[note]]Which isn't going to happen unless external circumstances cause it, since breathing is only a semi-voluntary reflex, which will automatically come back when you go unconscious - unless you, say, fall face first into water, hit your head on the way down, or with something obstructing your breath.[[/note]]) from asphyxiation.

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': The page image comes from ''Recap/AsterixInSpain'', in which Pepe, the BrattyHalfPint son of the Spanish chief Huevos y Bacon, is very fond of using this tactic, to the point that it becomes a RunningGag. When Obelix sees how effective it is, he starts using it himself. At one point, Pepe, Obelix, ''[[UpToEleven and Dogmatix]]'' simultaniously do this till Asterix agrees to visit a nearby ship to ask for provisions.

* ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'': Fifteen year-old Alison often throws tantrums and holds her breath until her mother gives her what she wants, like agreeing to let her have a sleepover with her friends. She's so good at holding her breath for extended periods of time that this ability [[spoiler:helps her survive being BuriedAlive]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode, "[[Recap/RugratsS4E13TheTurkeyWhoCameToDinner The Turkey Who Came to Dinner]]", Angelica tries to tell her father, Drew, about a live turkey in Tommy's backyard that she intends to have the adults cook and eat, but he and Stu are too busy watching many football games to pay attention to her. Angelica manages to get Drew's attention by holding her breath until he gives in. When Angelica takes Drew outside, the babies hide the turkey, and thus Drew believes Angelica made the Turkey up.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BabyLooneyTunes'',Melissa wants a shovel for digging holes at the beach but Floyd disagrees and this results holding her breath until she inflates and turns purple.

* In ''Series/ResidentAlien'', Max and Sahar blackmail Harry into geting a truce by holding their breath. Sahar also says that she once held her breath for two minutes to get out of a Sufi prayer circle.

* Parodied in [[Music/LadyGaga Lady Gaga]]'s song "Bad Kids," from ''Music/BornThisWay'', which is from the perspective of a much older "kid" than this trope usually applies to:

A popular form of [[StopOrIShootMyself taking yourself hostage]] for many a SpoiledBrat or BrattyHalfPint (or occasionally, a [[ManChild childish adult]]) who is denied something he/she wants. Simply hold your breath and threaten to continue doing so until either the person you're dealing with gives in to your demands, or you pass out (or worse) from asphyxiation.[[note]]Worse isn't going to happen unless you fall face first into water, hit your head on the way down, or with something obstructing your breath, since breathing is only a semi-voluntary reflex, which will automatically come back when you go unconscious barring as before external circumstances..[[/note]]