History Main / CantRefuseTheCallAnymore

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* In ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' after the events on the "Marionette Train", when the TrueCompanions are sent down the path towards Aion.

* The Eclipse and its aftermath serve as this in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. [[spoiler:His best friend turned betrayer and demon god, his comrades dead, and his lover gone insane]], Guts accepts that nothing will ever be the same again and takes on the quest to slay apostles, even remarking to himself that he is going into the void all alone. [[spoiler:It later turns out that setting out on a quest for revenge against Griffith was a mistake even worse than leaving Griffith behind, as it meant leaving Casca behind to deal with her trauma alone, as well as almost losing himself to his hatred for Griffith and the demons]].
* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Edward and Alphonse Elric burning down their childhood home marks this for them, as they declared that there was no turning back on their quest to get their original bodies back.
* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' when [[spoiler:Eren gets nommed by a titan on his first mission. While he's inside its stomach, he discovers his titan shifting powers which not only help him survive being eaten, but prove to be a game changer for humanity's side]].
* In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood'', this happens for both TheHero Jonathan and [[VillainProtagonist Villain]] {{Deuteragonist}} Dio Brando when the latter decides to "reject [his] humanity" and become a vampire. Jonathan decides to burn down his family's mansion in an attempt to destroy Dio, and this confrontation ends the more "grounded" arc of this part and leads into the more "bizarre" arc of Jonathan learning the ways of Hamon and Dio taking over a small town.

* ''Film/TheMatrix'': After Neo swallows the red pill and awakes in his battery pod outside the matrix. The whole sequence is a very literal "rebirth" into his new world, with a naked, bald Neo covered in goop, breaking out of a translucent sac and being dumped down a chute, only to wake up disoriented and helpless in a hospital bed.
* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', when James Edwards becomes Agent J his entire existence is erased from records and the memories of those who knew him.
* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters|1984}}'': Our heroes lose their positions at Columbia University, but resolve to go into business for themselves.
* ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'': The ''Enterprise'' is destroyed, most of the crew captured, and the crew members who remain free are scattered widely over a planet's surface - some of them critically injured.

* In ''The Book of Three'' of Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain this corresponds to Taran's imprisonment in Spiral Castle.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Rand must enter a series of archways to learn the history of [[spoiler: his true native people, the Aiel.]] If he stops or turns back at any point during this journey, he will never return.

* Cleanly marked in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'': when Harry is on the Hogwarts Express, he thinks, "He didn't know where he was going... but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind."
* In the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, it's the moment when Ayla Goodkind leaves the 'normal' world and rides into SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy. Given that 'Goodkind' means 'mutant-hating enemy' in this world, it's pretty much like someone named Hitler going to a university in Jerusalem.
* In ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'', the Ordeal that Richard goes through. Other characters note that he seems more mature after passing it.
* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': When the Fellowship enters Moria, and when Frodo agrees to be the ringbearer for the Fellowship's journey at the council of Elrond.
* In ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', Edmond Dantès is initially a benign, trusting, and naive young man with a happy future ahead of him. Then he's falsely imprisoned. He initially hopes that he'll receive justice and return to his friends. But after four years, he realizes that he'll never be released. This is the trope-point where there is no going back to his old life, only ahead... It initially drives him to despair and a suicide attempt. But the unexpected arrival of a fellow prisoner, the remarkable Abbe Faria, turns his thoughts in a new direction, toward escape and revenge. This also marks a change in Dantès's character.
* Halfway through ''Literature/{{Pact}}'', Blake Thorburn, the viewpoint character, has his connections to the outside world eaten by a demon, causing him to become an {{Unperson}} and trapping him in [[EldritchLocation the Drains]], where he's forced to confront hard truths about himself and [[TomatoInTheMirror his life]], ultimately emerging more supernatural creature than human.
* In ''Literature/{{Below}}'', Brenish and Raden fall off a cliff during a battle, leaving them in an uncharted part of the [[DungeonCrawling ruins]] with only a rough idea how to reunite with their party. Brenish is effectively on his own for the first time, having to put his knowledge to the test and even taking a lead role in combat because of Raden's injury.
* In ''Literature/OutOfTheDark'', [[spoiler:Dracula]] has given the hostile aliens every opportunity to leave and stop killing humans. Finally, when the aliens decide to just wipe out the entire human race, he's had enough, [[spoiler:turns a bunch of soldiers into vampires and assaults the alien fleet]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': Cecil is shipwrecked and washed up, all alone, near Mysidia, a city he had attacked and plundered before the start of the game. He has no choice now but to walk the road of atonement.

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
** Sora does this twice. Once in the sub-journey that is the [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI first game]], when he separates his heart from his body, and again and more fitting of the trope in his series-long character arc when his heart is shattered entirely and he has to put it back together and heal before he gets another chance to pass the official Hero's Test Yen Sid was giving.
** Sora has a couple of these moments in the first game. The first was when [[DoomedHometown his homeworld was destroyed]] and he more or less washed up on Traverse Town. The second happens when he loses the Keyblade as well as Donald and Goofy to [[RivalTurnedEvil Riku]], [[BroughtDownToNormal forcing him to rely on his own strength and tenacity]] for the first time since starting his journey rather than using the Keyblade as a handicap.

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' has a memorable case. After the reasonably light-hearted adventuring through Grasstown and the Sand Zone, Quote [[spoiler:has to kill Toroko, sees King die in front of him, and]] is cast into the Labyrinth by Misery.
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' is this for Desmond Miles. He has fallen into a comatose state after being forced to kill Lucy Stillman, and the only way for him to ever wake up is to relive Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore's memories until there's nothing left for him to relive, as well as coming to terms with his troubled past, the fact he is an Assassin and the role he has to play.

* 70 years later in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Aang's successor Korra manages to escape some ThresholdGuardians (the Order of the White Lotus) and conciliate others (Lin Bei Fong and Tenzin) and finds herself firmly set in Republic CityOfAdventure.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', when the pirates first drop Link off at the Forsaken Fortress. Arguably it's immediately after his defeat at the Forsaken Fortress. When he's sent to the fortress, he's still an overconfident kid. After he was tossed into the ocean and rescued, THAT was when he wised up to what he really needed to do. The mid-game twist occurs when Link first encounters Ganondorf with the Master Sword, only to find that it has lost its power.

** Sora arguably had a couple of these moments in the first game. The first was when [[DoomedHometown his homeworld was destroyed]] and he more or less washed up on Traverse Town. The second happens when he loses the Keyblade as well as Donald and Goofy to [[RivalTurnedEvil Riku]], [[BroughtDownToNormal forcing him to rely on his own strength and tenacity]] for the first time since starting his journey rather than using the Keyblade as a handicap.

* After [[spoiler: Kamina's death]] in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', Simon falls in despair and is functionally useless until [[spoiler: he meets Nia and has to save the rest of his TrueCompanions]].

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' has a memorable case. After the reasonably light-hearted adventuring through Grasstown and the Sand Zone, Quote sees [[spoiler:Toroko]] die in front of him, and is cast into the Labyrinth by Misery.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' Edward and Alphonse Elric burning down their childhood home marks this for them, as they declared that there was no turning back on their quest to get their original bodies back.

* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure: [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood Phantom Blood]]'' this happens for both TheHero Jonathan and [[VillainProtagonist Villain]] {{Deuteragonist}} Dio Brando when the latter decides to "reject [his] humanity" and become a vampire. Jonathan decides to burn down his family's mansion in an attempt to destroy Dio, and this confrontation ends the more "grounded" arc of this part and leads into the more "bizarre" arc of Jonathan learning the ways of Hamon and Dio taking over a small town.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', after the Happy Mask Salesman has taught him the Song of Healing and given him his quest.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' Edward and Alphonse Elric burning down their childhood home marks this for them, as the declared that there was no turning back on their quest to get their original bodies back.

* In ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', the secret plot of Headon and Yu Han Sung requires [[TheWoobie Twenty-Fifth]] [[WideEyedIdealist Bam]] to disappear from the face of the earth and the eyes of King Jahad. Apparently, it was most effective when he was killed by the person he was looking up to and searching for just when everybody thought it would be just fine. Not only is this a staged death, it is the final sladgehammer stroke that destroys Bam's innocence and replaces it with emotional emptiness.

* In ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', the secret plot of Headon and Yu Han Sung requires [[TheWoobie 25th]] [[WideEyedIdealist Baam]] to disappear from the face of the earth and the eyes of King Zahard. Apparently, it was most effective when he was killed by the person he was looking up to and searching for just when everybody thought it would be just fine. Not only is this a staged death, it is the final sladgehammer stroke that destroys Baam's innocence and replaces it with emotional emptiness.

* The battle in the Cathedral in ''Anime/{{Claymore}}'', in which Clare comes close to falling and becoming a Youma herself, but ultimately pulls back and from that point on is all but immune to turning.

[[DarkestHour It may not be entirely pleasant]] -- there's a reason Campbell compares it with dying. It is often the moment of greatest ''personal'' danger for the hero. TheHero can move forward by defeating the ThresholdGuardians, but also by being destroyed by them.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'': In the TV cut of movie pilot, there is a epilogue where Buck is clearly still coming to terms with losing everythng he knew due to being a 500 year old HumanPopsicle. Dr. Huer and Wilma offers Buck a position at the Earth Defense Directorate. Buck, feeling that he is hopelessly out of date, is reluctant to join and continues to mope around during the first part of the first episode of the TV series proper. Buck is curious about Earth's latest BigBad threat but he is politely denied any details, of course, since it's ClassifiedInformation. As this was coming from Dr. Huer and Wilma (RedPillBluePill and the fact that they even bothered to inform him at all), it was made to sound much more like a second CallToAdventure, however, since Buck was still DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife . At that point, Buck realizes that he must join if he's to have any real purpose.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', this moment comes in chapter 7, when Antimony sees Robot S13 on the bridge and rushes out to help, knowing that she'll get in trouble for it. She then gets pushed off the bridge and spends the night trapped in the gorge.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': In "The Southern Air Temple," after Zuko's attack on the Southern Water Tribe forced Aang to accept his identity as the Avatar, Aang realizes "I really am the last Airbender," and he becomes aware of the danger of the Avatar State.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action TV]]

[[folder: -- Literature]]

* ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'': In the TV cut of movie pilot, there is a epilogue where Buck is clearly still coming to terms with losing everythng he knew due to being a 500 year old HumanPopsicle. Dr. Huer and Wilma offers Buck a position at the Earth Defense Directorate. Buck, feeling that he is hopelessly out of date, is reluctant to join and continues to mope around during the first part of the first episode of the TV series proper. Buck is curious about Earth's latest BigBad threat but he is politely denied any details, of course, since it's ClassifiedInformation. As this was coming from Dr. Huer and Wilma, it was made to sound much more like a second CallToAdventure, however, since Buck was still DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife . At that point, Buck realizes that he must join if he's to have any real purpose.

* ''series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'': In the TV cut of movie pilot, there is a epilogue where Buck is clearly still coming to terms with losing everythng he knew due to being a 500 year old HumanPopsicle. Dr. Huer and Wilma offers Buck a position at the Earth Defense Directorate. Buck is reluctant to join and continues to mope around during the first part of the first episode of the TV series proper. Buck is curious about Earth's latest BigBad threat but he is politely denied any details, of course, since it's ClassifiedInformation. As this was coming from Dr. Huer and Wilma, it was made to sound much more like a SecondCallToAdventure, however, since Buck was still DesperatelyLookingForA PurposeInLife . At that point, Buck realizes that he must join if he's to have any real purpose.

[[folder:Literature]]

This, as denoted in ''Literature/TheHeroWithAThousandFaces'', is the conclusion of the Separation, the first phase of TheHerosJourney: "The hero, instead of conquering or conciliating [[ThresholdGuardians the power of the threshold]], is swallowed into the unknown, and would appear to have died." There is no [[RefusalOfTheCall turning back]] from this point. This is TheHero's point of no return where he resigns himself to the difficult task ahead. Forward march to the Road Of Trials!

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* Hiccup finds himself here in ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2'' after his father tries to stop him from going on his mission to find Drago Bludvist. Hiccup flies away and ends up getting kidnapped by a mysterious, masked dragon rider who [[spoiler:turns out to be his mother]] and takes him to the dragons' hidden sanctuary.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Finding Nemo}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0942_31.JPG]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Sometimes, this trope is taken to its [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin literal extreme.]][[note]]Also, since when did blue whales have [[ArtisticLicenseBiology uvulas?]][[/note]]]]

The TropeMaker Is [[BookOfJonah Jonah]] of ''Literature/TheBible'', who, having been called by God, flees from Him unsuccessfully aboard a ship, and, the ship subsequently being caught in a terrible and dangerous storm, finally surrenders to God's will by throwing himself overboard; here, a "great fish", at God's command, swallows him and stores him within its belly for three days, during which Jonah accepts God's original call, and after which he is spewed out onto land by the beast, again at God's command. There is a reason Campbell calls this step "The Belly of the Whale".

!!Examples

[[folder: Anime And Manga ]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

* Hiccup finds himself here in ''WesternAnimation/{{How To Train Your Dragon 2}}'' after his father tries to stop him from going on his mission to find Drago Bludvist. Hiccup flies away and ends up getting kidnapped by a mysterious, masked dragon rider who [[spoiler:turns out to be his mother]] and takes him to the dragons' hidden sanctuary.

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* ''Film/{{The Matrix}}'': After Neo swallows the red pill and awakes in his battery pod outside the matrix. The whole sequence is a very literal "rebirth" into his new world, with a naked, bald Neo covered in goop, breaking out of a translucent sac and being dumped down a chute, only to wake up disoriented and helpless in a hospital bed.

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'': Our heroes lose their positions at Columbia University, but resolve to go into business for themselves.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Religion, Mythology, and Folklore ]]

* In ''Literature/TheOdyssey'', after Ulysses/Odysseus is the sole survivor of a shipwreck and ends in Calypso's island.
** Arguably long before that. Since the time spent on Calypso's island is spent in the company of a bevy of beautiful women who want nothing more than to keep him there. The Belly of the Whale for Odysseus is pretty much the moment Agamemnon drafts him into the Trojan War; his life goes downhill from there for the next TWENTY YEARS (10 at war with Troy, 10 trying to get home but with a sizable chunk of time on Calypso's island). Looking at the events of the Odyssey, the moment of hubris in which infuriates Poseidon would probably count.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Sora from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' does this twice. Once in the sub-journey that is the [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI first game]], when he separates his heart from his body, and again and more fitting of the trope in his series-long character arc when his heart is shattered entirely and he has to put it back together and heal before he gets another chance to pass the official Hero's Test Yen Sid was giving.

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

The TropeMaker Is [[BookOfJonah Jonah]] of the ''[[TheBible Bible]]'', who, having been called by God, flees from Him unsuccessfully aboard a ship, and, the ship subsequently being caught in a terrible and dangerous storm, finally surrenders to God's will by throwing himself overboard; here, a "great fish", at God's command, swallows him and stores him within its belly for three days, during which Jonah accepts God's original call, and after which he is spewed out onto land by the beast, again at God's command. There is a reason Campbell calls this step "The Belly of the Whale".

* The battle in the Cathedral in ''Anime/{{Claymore}}'', Clare comes close falling and becoming a Youma herself, but ultimately pulls back and from that point on is all but immune to turning.

* The Eclipse and its aftermath serve as this in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. [[spoiler: His best friend turned betrayer, his comrades dead, and his lover gone insane]], Guts accepts that nothing would ever be the same again and takes on the quest to slay apostles, even remarking to himself that he is going into the void all alone.

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' when [[spoiler:Eren gets nommed by a titan on his first mission. While he's inside its stomach, he discovers his titan shifting powers which prove to be a game changer for humanity's side]].

The TropeMaker Is [[BookOfJonah Jonah]] of the ''[[TheBible Bible]]'', who, having been called by God, flees from Him unsuccessfully aboard a ship, and, the ship subsequently being caught in a terrible and dangerous storm, finally surrenders to God's will by throwing himself overboard; here, a "great fish", at God's command, swallows him and stores him within its belly for three days, during which Jonah accepts God's original call, and after which he is spewed out onto land by the beast, again at God's command.

The TropeMaker and Campbell's TropeNamer is [[BookOfJonah Jonah]] of the ''[[TheBible Bible]]'', who, having been called by God, flees from Him unsuccessfully aboard a ship, and, the ship subsequently being caught in a terrible and dangerous storm, finally surrenders to God's will by throwing himself overboard; here, a "great fish", at God's command, swallows him and stores him within its belly for three days, during which Jonah accepts God's original call, and after which he is spewed out onto land by the beast, again at God's command.

For tropes about actual stomachs, try FantasticVoyagePlot, SwallowedWhole, RibcageStomach, or WombLevel.