History Main / DefenceMechanismSuperpower

** The Doctor himself has this, like all Time Lords, in the form of Regeneration.

* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', [[PsychicPowers adepts]] have forms of [[ElementalPowers Psyenergy]] which unconsciously protect them when they need it. This is first demonstrated in a cutscene in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheBrokenSeal'' when [[spoiler: they first enter Kolima or Kolima forest. They discover that some crystals are raining from the sky and turned the villagers into [[AndIMustScream trees]]. They're knocked unconscious but are protected by a shield (which reappears in several other parts of the game to help avert ConvectionSchmonvection and the like)]]. They vow to make an attempt to master this unconscious power, but never actually learn to willingly trigger it.

* The Hulk in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' takes this a step further, emerging not only when Banner is angry enough, but whenever his life is significantly threatened. As Banner learned the hard way, this includes [[DrivenToSuicide self-inflicted injury]].
** Due to RuleOfFunny, the only time this fails is when he jumps from a great height in ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' and ''Film/ThorRagnarok''; Bruce gets to faceplant messily, ''then'' [[HulkingOut he Hulks out]].

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Digivolution is usually triggered when the Digimon's partners are in danger. In the episode "The Arrival of SkullGreymon," Tai [[ExploitedTrope exploited this]] by deliberately putting himself in harm's way to force Greymon to digivolve to the Ultimate level. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor It doesn't work out the way he hoped.]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': At first, Twenty-Fifth Bam's powers are completely passive, resulting in magic resistance. And occasionally, for example when he and Michelle Light get curb-stomped by Hwa Ryun, they are a last defense and use [[FunctionalMagic Shinsu]] to cut up faces. And [[EyeScream eyeballs]].

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gargoyles_collage2_350px.png]]
[-[[caption-width-right:350:Clockwise from top right: Gargoyles from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', ''VideoGame/HearthstoneHeroesOfWarcraft'', and ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'']]-]

->GARGOYLE, n.
-->A rain-spout projecting from the eaves of mediaeval buildings, commonly fashioned into a grotesque caricature of some personal enemy of the architect or owner of the building. This was especially the case in churches and ecclesiastical structures generally, in which the gargoyles presented a perfect rogues' gallery of local heretics and controversialists. Sometimes when a new dean and chapter were installed the old gargoyles were removed and others substituted having a closer relation to the private animosities of the new incumbents.
--->-- ''Literature/TheDevilsDictionary''

In RealLife, gargoyles are statues of grotesque humans and animals designed to ward off evil spirits and channel rainwater from rooftops and spit it out, (hence ''gargling'') away from the building to prevent damage from erosion, or are there just for decoration. Most commonly found on large buildings such as cathedrals.

Fiction, however, has decided that they'd make a great species, so they often appear in fantasy settings ([[UrbanFantasy Urban]] or otherwise) as a race of {{Winged Humanoid}}s that have a penchant for [[IHaveTheHighGround perching on high terrain]]. Given their origins, they also tend to have an ability to [[TakenForGranite turn to]] [[RockMonster stone]], voluntarily or not.

Another common feature is that any damage done to them while animated can be repaired while statuefied, but destroying the statue kills them permanently.

Traditionally, in folklore, they were benevolent, [[DarkIsNotEvil despite their appearance]], which was framed as being frightful to scare demons away from churches, but meeting their gaze was dangerous. This is less common in modern fiction.

[[TheMoreYouKnow Fun fact]]: the technical term for a gargoyle that doesn't include a rainspout is a grotesque -- this means [[TheGrotesque something different]] on this wiki, [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame although the two can coexist]].
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Card Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' has a few gargoyle-themed cards, such as the [[GratuitousJapanese Ryu-Kishin]], which even has a MonsterClown variant.
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has a Gargoyle creature type, which has appeared in several sets. They are depicted as creatures made of animated stone, and often flavored as guardians of some sort. One example is ''Innistrad'''s [[https://scryfall.com/card/isd/228/manor-gargoyle Manor Gargoyle]].
[[/folder]]

* ComicBook/IronMan villain The Grey Gargoyle is a human alchemist who can turn himself into a RockMonster and his victims [[TakenForGranite into statues]] for one hour.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': Gotham's Gothic/Art Deco architecture is teeming with Gargoyles and Grotesques of the inanimate kind. "Gargoyles of Gotham" in the anthology series ''ComicBook/BatmanBlackAndWhite'' actually explains their history, makes note of the difference between the two (Batman prefers Gargoyles because grotesques are often added to cornices superficially and make terrible purchases for grappling hooks) and explains that most Grotesques on Bruce Wayne's buildings are [[CrazyPrepared secret emergency Bat-Gear caches.]] Batman likes to blend in with the gargoyles during his nightly vigils.
* ''ComicBook/SensationComicsFeaturingWonderWoman'': In "Defender of Truth" Circe animates a bunch of grotesques that Diana has to fight.
* An unnamed Parisian sculptor in "The House of Gargoyles!", published in ''House of Mystery'' #175, is being hunted down by two gargoyles he made. They may be his handiwork, but he stole the designs from a colleague he murdered out of jealousy and who cursed the designs with his dying breath. Nonetheless, the gargoyles appear unable to either use violence or enter buildings, so as long as the sculptor stays locked away indoors, he's safe. He's captured anyway when a boy, fascinated by the gargoyles, wants to show his friends they're alive. So he calls out to the sculptor that the gargoyles are gone and when the man cheerfully opens the window, they grab him and fly off with him. As a side note, during his time hiding, he created a miniature gargoyle all of his own that ended up left in the care of [[HorrorHost Cain]].
* The new marquis in "Stone Cold Death!" in ''The Creeps'' #4 wants nothing to do with the sculptor Montes and his gargoyles and wants them out of his newly-acquired castle. Montes sees no other option than to send one of his gargoyles, which are actually alive, out to kill the marquis. This is witnessed by Francois, a high-ranked member of the marquis' court, who figures that with a few more deaths he could be marquis themselves. He discovers that Montes regularly applies a potion to the gargoyles and upon learning the recipe kills Montes. However, the potion does nothing. Later, Francois learns that the potion doesn't bring the gargoyles to life but rather keeps them as statues. As the gargoyle closes in to attack him, he also learns they only obey their sculptor.
* In ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'', the two Gargoyles [[note]] technically grotesques, since they're only statues[[/note]] on top of Ducklair Tower are revealed to be more than mere decorations, and essentially keep a gateway to a dark world filled with demons closed. One volume revolves around a warlock who tries to destroy them to open up said portal. In ''The Black Beam'', it's revealed that those two Gargoyles assume a humanoid form (as armor-covered winged humanoids) in the Pentadimension to fight back [[SealedEvilInACan Moldrock's attempts to escape]].

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fics of Creator/AAPessimal introduce ''cherubs''. Known on Earth as decorative bas-reliefs to be found in Restoration/Georgian architecture and often seen propping up ornate indoor sculpture, on the Discworld they have sentience and can move around. They are described as a better-looking gargoyle bred to live indoors by a previous Patrician, and used by the current Patrician (Vetinari) as part of a surveillance and security network in the Palace and other fine old buildings.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' fandom, grunkle Stan is in the Monster Falls AU made a gargoyle.
* ''Fanfic/TheInstituteSaga'': The ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' become allies to the ''Franchise/XMen''.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* The gargoyles in the Disney version of ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' come in two varieties: the PluckyComicRelief trio of legless {{Winged Humanoid}}s who can summon swarms of pigeons and talk, and the animalistic heads that adorn the roofs (one of which turns alive as Frollo clings to it). Turning into stone is only done when they sleep or show Quasimodo he's disappointed them. Although it's questionable [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane whether they're actually alive, or Quasimodo just has an active imagination]] (he's strong enough to move them around after all). The fact that one of them comes alive to confuse Esmeralda's pet goat seems to indicate they're real.
* [[EvilIsCool Chernobog]] in ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}'' is arguably a titanic gargoyle: he looks quite demonic and turns into stone during the day. Not just any regular stone statue: he turns into the top of friggin' Bald Mountain, the eponymous mountain of the segment.
* Despite not particularly looking like one, Toto, the crow from ''Anime/TheCatReturns'', is a gargoyle. Just like the [[LivingToys living toy]] Baron, his state of being alive comes from being [[LoveImbuesLife a work of love]]. He's a member of the Baron's Cat Bureau alongside the cat Muta, whom he likes to antagonize. They save the human Haru from a forced marriage into cat royalty.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Gargoyles'' (1972) has only one of these green, devilishly featured creatures with wings (the other gargoyles we see look more like LizardFolk). As Spawn of the Devil, they work to destroy humanity by [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty kidnapping human women]], [[TheMasquerade killing anyone who knows about them]], or plotting world conquest for Satan. The Gargoyles makeup effects were done by Stan Winston.
* ''Film/TalesFromTheDarksideTheMovie'' has a female gargoyle [[spoiler:which can turn into a human]].
* ''Film/CurseOfTheTalisman'' (2001) has one (rather small-3ft tall) stone gargoyle revived thanks to a magic talisman which tries to re-awaken the rest of its kin with said talisman.
* ''Film/CastADeadlySpell'' (1991) features a Gargoyle which perches on the evil warlock's mansion like an ordinary statue. However he can bring it to life and send it out on missions to spy on people or kill his enemies.
* ''Gargoyle'' (2004) featured a larger than average (10ft tall) demonic entity which was trapped in stone centuries ago. It (and its asexually produced offspring) can only be slain by holy weaponry (specifically a crossbow).
* ''Rise of the Gargoyles'' (2009) has the monsters as SealedEvilInACan in their stone forms.
* ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'' includes a gremlin that drinks an experimental serum giving it bat wings. It gets tossed into wet cement, then flies up and perches onto the side of a church, where it hardens into a passable gargoyle.
* ''Film/IFrankenstein'' has gargoyles be a [[LowestCosmicDenominator lower cosmic denominator]] to angels; they were created by ArchangelMichael to fight [[TheLegionsOfHell demons.]]

* ''Literature/BoneSong'' by John Meaney is set in Tristopolis, a CityNoir inhabited by all sorts of fantastic creatures, including talking gargoyles.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Gargoyles are living statues that live on rooftops and feed on pigeons, and are named after where they're located ("Cornice overlooking Broadway'', for example). They are frequently used as Watchmen and to man the clacks system -- jobs where being able to stare at a single location for days on end and not get bored is a ''very'' useful capability. Also, unlike many depictions of monstrous gargoyles, Discworld gargoyles retain their waterspoutish nature, using their ears and wings to direct rain through the back of their heads and out their mouths, filtering out anything potentially tasty that passes through (especially pigeons). This means that their mouths are always open and their speech is affected quite a bit. It was mentioned in Vimes internal monologue at one point that the gargoyle was a sort of troll -- a species of RockMonster in the Discworld -- evolved specifically to survive in the city. As of ''Literature/TheWorldOfPoo'', the younger generation of Ankh-Morpork gargoyles have adapted fully to an all-pigeon diet, a change that means they now ''can'' close their mouths and speak coherently. This is similar to how young city trolls like Brick are physically adapting to urban living, supporting the notion that gargoyles and trolls are closely related.
* Creator/HPLovecraft gives us Night Gaunts, denizens of the Dreamlands and straight out of his childhood nightmares. Humanoid, horned, bat-winged, with slick whale-like skin and [[TheBlank no faces at all]] they often show up in flocks to capture hapless humans and take them to terrible places, [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment tickling them mercilessly]] the entire way.
* In Shanna Swendson's ''Literature/EnchantedInc'' gargoyles appear to be statues [[WeirdnessCensor to the muggles]] but magical people see them as moving, talking creatures. They are still made of stone, can fly and can gain power from resting on the roof of a church.
* In the ''Literature/AllieBeckstrom'' universe, gargoyles are merely statues animated by elaborate and expensive spells -- until Allie accidentally puts her magic into one. "Stone" then becomes a self-powered individual with the intelligence and personality of a dog.
* In the ''Literature/CodexAlera'' series, all normal humans have ElementalPowers. Those with [[DishingOutDirt earth-controlling powers]] can sometimes summon and control animate elementals, or sometimes bind them on (or ''in'') walls and buildings to serve as guardians. The physical shape of earth elemental guardians, like all elementals, varies depending on the individual elemental and/or the human controlling them.
* In Laura Ann Gilman's ''Vineart War'' series the Guardian combines this with OurDragonsAreDifferent as it looks like a stone dragon. It also has considerable magic mojo as long as it is on the territory it was created to protect.
* ''God Bless The Gargoyles'', a children's book by Dav Pilkey (the guy behind ''Captain Underpants''), describes the original role of the gargoyle as a symbol of protection, then how people gradually forgot that the terrifying faces were meant to drive off evil and grew afraid of them themselves. The argument here being "for crying out loud show 'em a little love".
* ''Literature/TheMonsterHuntersSurvivalGuide'' cribs its Gargoyles mostly from the [[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} Disney series]], with the Author expressly saying that they're not evil, and can even be allies.
* In ''Literature/MonsterHunterInternational'', gargoyles are constructs: stone brought to life by magic. They carry out the orders of whoever created them. The only ones we see are created by the power of an EldritchAbomination, but it's weakly implied that other powers could create them too.
* In ''The Alchemy of Stone'' gargoyles are a dying race, born of the living rock and once able to shape it by their will, a power they have now lost. [[spoiler: In the end an alchemist, at their request finds a way to make them mflesh, mortal and, it's implied capable of reproduction]]
* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' has a variant in the thunderclasts, enormous quadrupedal stone monsters shaped something like a dog the size of a small house.
* A gargoyle shows up in ''Literature/AFantasyAttraction'', where he... sells insurance. Door-to-door at that.
* ''Literature/TheSpiderwickChronicles'' Field Guide details gargoyles as dwarf nocturnal [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] that dwell on city roofs, blending in among their inanimate counterparts. Although wingless, they are agile and can leap great distances, while also being able to grip onto walls with immense strength.
* In ''The Stoneheart Trilogy'' gargoyles are a subset of taints, AlwaysChaoticEvil living non-human statues. They have a weakness that, being rainspouts, whenever it rains they must return to their original location.
* In the Oz books gargoyles are creatures from the Land of Naught. They are made entirely of wood and stand at less than three feet. They communicate entirely by hand signals and are nocturnal, removing their wings while they sleep. Different indeed.
* In ''Literature/VoidCity'', Gargoyles are a type of demon which possess stone statues to use as their bodies. Destroying their statue only renders them incorporeal for a time before they move into a new body; it takes an attack on their true spiritual body to actually harm them.
* In ''Literature/HarryPotter,'' both the Staffroom and Headmaster's Office are guarded by gargoyles, which in this setting are just statues brought to life by magic. They're job is to just move aside for anyone who gives the correct password and snarkily deny access to those who don't. The final book shows that they can still speak (again, sarcastically) after being smashed to pieces.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** The Classic Who story "The Daemons" has Bok, a gargoyle animated by Daemonic powers.
** The [[Characters/DoctorWhoWeepingAngels Weeping Angels]] also share most classic characteristics with gargoyles. They don't usually perch on ledges, though.
* Gargoyles in ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' are creatures in statue form who come alive to ward off evil, and are so powerful that not even [[UltimateEvil the Source]] can get by them.
* In ''Series/SpecialUnit2'' gargoyles are creatures that evolved from dinosaurs. They appeared in the first episode.
* ''Film/ReignOfTheGargoyles'': These are stone statues brought to life by a mad god to kill in his name. They have no will but their master's, but can be destroyed by conventional weaponry.

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* As Wrestling/{{Goldberg}} and future Flock member Wrestling/ScottyRiggs made their way to the ring for their match on the October 13, 1997 ''Wrestling/WCWMondayNitro'' (4-0), the camera noticed Wrestling/{{Raven}} and Wrestling/PerrySaturn and the as-yet-unnamed Sick Boy sitting together in the crowd. Announcer Wrestling/TonySchiavone said that Saturn was "sitting there like a gargoyle." He later introduced a top-rope head-and-arm suplex called the [="Gargoyleplex"=]. On the February 21, 1998 ''Wrestling/{{WCW}} Saturday Night,'' Wrestling/{{Lodi}} held up a sign that read "Saturn the Gargoyle." On the March 12th ''WCW Thunder,'' Lodi held up a sign that read "Saturn: Ultimate Gargoyle."
* Groon XXX, an independent circuit luchador who made his way onto the {{B show}}s of Wrestling/{{CMLL}} and, later, Wrestling/{{AAA}}, has a gargoyle gimmick. There is also a Mini Groon XXX.

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* On ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' episode featuring the cast of ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'', the original guest star was the inexplicably Scottish Angus [=McGonagle=] the Argyle Gargoyle. His act consists of gargling Music/GeorgeGershwin songs "gorrrgeously". Small wonder that Kermit fires him in favor of the Star Wars cast.

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
** Gargoyles are wicked ambush predators that lie perfectly still, passing for stone statues. Their origins have varied from edition to edition, being either earth elementals, animated statues, or simply natural monsters.
** The ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' setting also has Gargoyle {{Golem}}s, a variant of Stone Golems shaped to look like grotesques. Unlike living gargoyles they're too heavy to fly, but like to drop from a high place to crush unwary victims under their considerable weight.
* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'' has a vampiric bloodline of Gargoyles, created by clan Tremere as bodyguards. They are allegedly created through a ritual that combines the blood of [[WolfMan the Gangrel]], [[BodyHorror the Tzimisce]], and [[TheGrotesque the Nosferatu]], with different concentrations creating different sorts of Gargoyles. They can turn to stone at will, which is particularly useful when avoiding sunlight, as they are invulnerable while in stone form. The Gargoyles can turn other people into gargoyles, but have little autonomy, and are even said to get confused when left to their own devices.
* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'' has gargoyles as constructs created by blood sorcery, possibly as a MythologyGag to ''Masquerade''.
* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has an example verging on InNameOnly. Gargoyles, aka Hellbats, are Tyranid air-attack creatures. They can't turn into stone, but may have got their name from their tendency to perch atop a [[GiantFlyer larger Tyranid flier]] called a Harridan.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'', Gargoyles come in five types: The standard Gargoyle, Wingless G'''u'''rgoyles, Tiny Gargoylites, and the Gargoyle Lords and Mages, who have the ability to turn to living stone for short periods of time. The largest concentrations are found as Mooks for the Demons of Hades and serving the [[CosmicHorror Splugorth]], but a large Empire of them is found in Europe, and is fighting the Human NGR with high-tech weapons and HumongousMecha of their own.
* In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', one possible character type is the lurkglider, explicitly stated to be gargoyle-like.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'':
** ''Paranormal Animals of North America'' describes gargoyles as humanoid creatures with a single short horn and pointed ears; they normally live on cliffs, but some have adapted to cities. The main kind has males with wings and females with arms, but one subspecies possesses both sets of limbs. Another, also six-limbed variety is described in ''Paranormal Animals of Europe'', with twisting horns and skin marked by numerous complex ridges. Unlike most other paranormal animals, which Awakened from clear mundane ancestors, no one really knows where gargoyles come from.
** Neogargoyles, originally mistaken for a variant of gargoyles, are once-normal bats turned blind and flightless by chemical runoff, and whose skin is heavily calcified as a result of the same. They crawl along buildings, tapping, prodding and digging at them to find food, and over a period of five to seven months completely calcify into immobile statues.
* The ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' board game ''Hero Quest'' has a gargoyle -- a large winged humanoid resembling a [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Balrog]] -- that is a GiantMook and the toughest normal opponent in the game. ''[[ExpansionPack Kellar's Keep]]'' [[ShoutOut completes its Moria analogy]] by having an end boss in the form of an especially powerful gargoyle.
* ''Literature/FightingFantasy'': In ''Citadel Of Chaos'', you can encounter a Gargoyle in a sculptor's studio in the upper floors of the castle. Luckily, if you made your way there through the kitchens, you may have come across a potion in one of the cabinets that's specifically brewed for combating creatures of stone.

[[folder:Theater]]
* ''Theatre/TheGoldenTicket'', the opera version of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', has the titular factory ringed by a high wall topped with gargoyles. They move and sing when others aren't looking/noticing, and serve as a GreekChorus throughout the first act.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'':
** In ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'', gargoyles are crystalline bat-like flying undead creatures, who can turn into ground-based statues to regenerate health but cannot attack when they do so.
** Gargoyles occasionally appear in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' are still statues that may or may not attach. There is a series of statues lining a path in Halls of Lightning, some of which come to life when you pass them. Of note is a trash mob in old Naxxramas, the Stoneskin Gargoyle, has become infamous as it possessed the ability to turn into stone at low health, regenerating health fully, ''ad infinitum''. A raid group with too low damage dealing potential could remain stuck on one forever, unable to beat the cast time of the petrification.
** The Stoneskin Gargoyle features in ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}'' as a relatively weak creature that fully heals at the start of its owner's turn.
* The ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' gargoyles are flying {{Winged Humanoid}}s with very high physical defense.
* The Bloodgoyles from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''. They can't be harmed with a sword; it only causes them to separate into more Bloodgoyles, but shooting one with your gun turns it briefly to stone, after which you can smash it. Although that isn't entirely true once NewGamePlus status sets in. While it does take longer, Bloodgoyles can be killed with your swords.
* Gargoyles are a recurring enemy in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series, resembling demonic {{Winged Humanoid}}s. In at least one game, using a Soft (which cures petrification) on them will [[OutsideTheBoxTactic kill them instantly]] - [[DontExplainTheJoke because they're made of stone!]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonsDogma'', the Gargoyles are flying creatures and a variant of [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Harpy]] type enemy. Their tails can [[TakenForGranite petrify]] anything being impaled by it.
* In ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', the Gargoyles are vaguely bat-like flying Heartless that will either melee you or spit magic at you. The sequel introduced other types of Gargoyles that were basically the stereotypical animated statues.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' had gargoyles, which were statues until you got too close, and turned back to stone if they took enough damage, making them a lot easier to hit (and surprisingly not much harder to kill).
* ''VideoGame/BookOfDemons'' is an affectionate homage to the original ''Diablo'' and features similar gargoyles. They are a little tougher, however, since they are invulnerable when in stone form and rapidly heal to full health, meaning they must be killed quickly before they fly off.
* The Belfry Gargoyles are an early boss fight in ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''. They're made of patinated bronze instead of stone - appropriate since they're fought in a Gothic church.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'', there were the flesh gargoyles (stone statues that turned into fleshy demonoid-things) and the mercifully rare stone gargoyles, who stayed stone even after they animated (and were frigging hard to kill).
* Gargoyles and Deathgoyles are enemy monsters fought in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones''.
* ''VideoGame/GargoylesQuest'' a {{Spinoff}} of ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins'' starring everyone's favorite BossInMookClothing, the Red Arremer, known in his own series as Firebrand.
* Rufus in ''VideoGame/AVampyreStory'' certainly doesn't rock: he has to sit through all sorts of humiliations.
* Stone Guardian in ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' are found near Kurzick Buildings. They often start as statues that come to life when a player or enemy walks past. Unlike other examples on this page, they are human creations rather than separate species.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'':
** Gargoyles -- red-skinned, horned, winged humanoids -- pop up in the series, though in early games they are called "Daemons". ''VideoGame/UltimaVI'' reveals more about them: they are [[spoiler:a good race living in the Underworld, who follow their own system of values, similar to the human system of virtues. They were enemies in the earlier games mainly due to cultural misunderstandings.]] The winged gargoyles are the leaders and guides of the non-intelligent wingless ones.
** The ''VideoGame/UltimaV'' installment has a one-time instance of actual stone gargoyles coming to life and attacking you. They are one of the nastiest enemies in the game due to being hard as all hell to kill, and splitting in two when you strike them.
* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}''. Though most of these are PaletteSwap UndergroundMonkey varieties of other monsters, and merely fly and look grey, ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' has the actual turn from stone variety. One prominent example is Gaibon, who was fortunate enough to receive a recurring role, [[DegradedBoss occasional boss status]], a loyal teammate, and a position directly serving Death [[spoiler:and occasionally Soma]].
* ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct 2'' has a final boss named Gargos and styled after a gargoyle.
* Gargoyles in ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' are winged humanoids made of stone that require a Slayer level to kill. If they're not smashed with a rock hammer once they get below a certain health level, then they're unkillable and regenerate health as fast as one hits them.
* In ''VideoGame/EternalLands'', Gargoyles are one of the weaker monsters.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Disciples}}'' ''2'', Gargoyles are the Legion's archer unit. While most archer units are single slot [[FragileSpeedster Fragile Speedsters]], Gargoyles take up two slots meaning they have to be on the front line. They make up for this by being about twice as powerful as the average ranged unit and far more durable thanks to higher hitpoints and armor [[LightningBruiser while being just as fast]]. In battle they are in "statue" form most of the time (explaining their high armor rating) and become animate when attacking. The final stage of the Gargoyle tree, the Onyx Gargoyle, has an armor rating of 65, the highest natural armor rating in the game.
* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has playable character Galio, who is noteworthy for his anti-mage playstyle, gaining damage for buying items that give him magic resistance as well as having one of the strongest abilities in the game in the form of his ultimate ability Idol of Durand.
* ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame'' has haunted Stone Gargoyles. Justified: these gargoyles come from Shandor buildings.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'' includes gargoyles as generic enemies. They are creatures "made of living stone" and possess an innate [[AntiMagic resistance to magic]].
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''[='s=] ''Dawnguard'' DLC includes gargoyles as powerful guardians and summons of the Volkihar [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] clan. Most of the time, the gargoyle stands perfectly still as a statue, but when enemies are nearby, it bursts from the statue and attacks. In other words, ''Skyrim'' gargoyles behave mostly the same as ones from ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}''. And like in that game, there are also some statues that are just statues, stand there, do nothing and [[ParanoiaFuel invokes paranoia]].
* There have been gargoyles in every ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' game to date.
* Gargoyles start showing up in higher difficulty Ruins missions in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'', capable of stunning your party members with tail whacks as well as tearing apart the front two rows with their claws. While they have incredible armor ratings, being made of stone and all, they have low hp pools, meaning Blight can kill them very quickly.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Darklands}}'', Gargoyles shows up as a rare enemy you can encounter in the wilderness. They fly very fast and have a very good armor rating thanks to their stony skin.
* In ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'', gargoyles are flying demons with a large central eye that [[TakenForGranite fires a petrification beam]].
* In ''VideoGame/ScoobyDooFirstFrights'', some of the gargoyles in Episode 4 come to life and attack the player.
* ''VideoGame/Nitemare3D'' features two enemy types that are gargoyles, which is the name they have in the game data. One looks like a humanoid goat and is found among the hedges. The normal statues appear as early as the first episode's second level, while the animated ones show up starting the eight levels. The other can be described as a batlike minotaur and inhabits niches within grey stone walls. Both the nonliving and living variants show up starting the sixth level of the first episode.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Bibliography}}'', Gargoyles are Pages of the Petrified Codex. The only one seen so far is William [[RedBaron "Sentinel"]] Adams, an enormous man who can turn his skin to stone, launch stone pillars and enter an [[TurnsRed enraged]] mode when hurt.
* In ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'' gargoyles are [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2008-05-17/comic/mort-to-it-than-zombies/touchy-subject-is-touchy/ angels]] of [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2006-08-25/comic/four-of-a-kind/good-gods/ Mort]].
* In ''Webcomic/GoblinHollow'' gargoyles are the natural predator of goblins. Unfortunately, this is discovered after someone not in on the ''Masquerade'' brings a few [[http://www.rhjunior.com/GH/00286.html statues]] into a home of several goblins. To prove they are lifeless stone and not the creatures that inspired the [[http://www.rhjunior.com/GH/00287.html stone angels]] of Doctor Who, one of the main characters plans to take a power drill to their skull. Cue the Lightning. Lights go dark, Lights come on, and... gargoyles have [[http://www.rhjunior.com/GH/00290.html vanished]]. Cue the ''Oh Crap''.
%%* Solanum in ''Webcomic/MonsterSoup''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' is a cartoon in which 6 gargoyles, originally the [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy guardians]] of a medieval castle in Scotland, are transported to modern-day New York. TheyFightCrime at night, and turn into statues to sleep during the day, when they are also healed of any injury. They possess great strength, and while they cannot fly, they can glide on air currents. They also lay eggs as opposed to live birth. They may absorb solar energy while they sleep, as a scientist states that to maintain their abilities, they would otherwise have to eat the equivalent of two cows a day.
** This species of gargoyles had variations from all over the world, usually somewhat resembling the local legendary creatures, and always dedicated to protecting some location or population. As the main character explains a few times, it is a gargoyle's nature to find a place to call home and defend it to the death. When the local humans APPRECIATE this protection, it can work out very well for all parties as the gargoyles can offer superior strength and resilience to fight off invaders or other threats while the humans can protect them during their vulnerable daylight hours. When the nearby humans DON'T appreciate their presence... [[UnusualEuphemism gravel supplies tend to swell]]... Most Gargoyles clans (of those few remaining by the present day) have given up on having anything to do with humans as a result -- the Ishimura Clan is one of the very Gargoyle clans that have a good relationship with the local human population.
** WordOfGod states that while most humans treat gargoyles with fear and distrust when they actually meet them, the RealLife use of gargoyle statues to ward off evil shows that humans subconsciously recognize the Gargoyles' true protective nature.
** It should also be pointed out that Gargoyles in this series are entirely biological. Their species is explicitly stated to have naturally evolved these features and no part of what they are capable of as a species is any more magical than a human, including the whole Stone by Day thing, except for the fact that their clothes turn to stone with them which actually is the result of a spell that was cast on the entire species.
* In ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' TOS in the episode "The House of Seven Gargoyles," one of the gargoyles is a disguised acrobat.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost'' episode "The Gargoyloids", the title monsters are gargoyles -- InSpace
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': A flying gargoyle named Pazuzu appears in "[[Recap/FuturamaS4E9TeenageMutantLeelasHurdles Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles]]", being lambasted by Farnsworth for running away after the Professor put it through college. Apparently it's a biological creature, as it's seen with its offspring at the end. Presumably it was bio-genetically engineered or something. Pazuzu also appeared in the second movie as a DeusExMachina, where it's revealed that it has the ability to grant wishes. Also it speaks French.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': The Son can turn into a gargoyle, in contrast to the Daughter's radiant griffin form.
* In ''WesternAnimation/PacManAndTheGhostlyAdventures'', they are large fire breathing three-eyed winged demon-like creatures.
* ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'':
** The unfinished ''SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron'' episode "Succubus!" would've included gargoyles, of a sort. [[HornyDevils Katrina Moorkroft]]'s male {{Mooks}} would've been capable of transforming into hideous living gargoyles at night in order to abduct victims for their employer.
** In the episodes that ''were'' finished, the Pastmaster brought a gargoyle on a bridge to life briefly in the episode "A Bright and Shiny Future," which grabbed the Turbokat and dragged it through one of the villain's time portals. It was basically just a demonic head with a [[BuffySpeak bitey]] mouth at the end of a long stretchy neck, though.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'': In one episode, Duke Igthorn sends a sinister gargoyle statue (which looks more like a [[GripingAboutGremlins gremlin]]) to King Gregor to destroy him. After the Gummis save Gregor from the gargoyle by turning it back to stone, they decide to send it back to Igthorn to give him ATasteOfHisOwnMedicine.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wishfart}} has a gargoyle named G as the security guard of Dez's apartment. Interestingly, he's completely immobile due to the fact that the pedestal base he stands on is actually a part of his body, so he's really more of an animated statue than a living creature.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E21DaringDoubt Daring Doubt]]", the temple where the Truth Talisman of Tonatiuh is kept is guarded by "guardiangoyles", magical stone statues resembling bat-winged ponies which come to life at Ahuizotl's command and attempt to take the Talisman back from the other characters and are [[WeakenedByTheLight disoriented and eventually -petrified by bright lights]].
[[/folder]]
----

->''"The Avatar State is a defence mechanism, designed to empower you with all the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars."''
-->-- '''Avatar Roku''', ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheAvatarState The Avatar State]]"

A character has a superpower that only works when they're threatened — they can't initiate it at will, and occasionally [[PowerIncontinence they can't stop it either]]. This kind of situation is a common cue for [[DieOrFly heretofore unknown powers to develop]] or for existing ones to undergo [[PowerCreepPowerSeep a dramatic boost in power]], either temporarily or [[TookALevelInBadass for keeps]]. A storyline in which the character [[HowDoIShotWeb tries to learn to use their power voluntarily]] is a likely result.

If they are held back by a [[PsychosomaticSuperpowerOutage mental block]] of some kind, harnessing their abilities might be a matter of attaining EnlightenmentSuperpowers.

Can be used in a similar way to AlwaysABiggerFish, with a cowering hero looking up to discover their aggressor has mysteriously been blasted into dust, and muttering innocently "Did I do that?".

Villains [[AntagonistAbilities may have better control of their defence mechanism superpower]], if they have one: not only they will display less incontinence, they don't have to put much thought to defend themselves — as their PowersDoTheFighting.

In video games, this may come in form of a passive ability that activates when you get hit by an attack, or when the enemy's attacking you. Compare CriticalStatusBuff and DesperationAttack, where having low health/getting attacked a lot either gives you a buff or allows you to perform a powerful attack.

Compare DieOrFly and some cases of TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening, in which a power is initially discovered in this way, but can be used freely thereafter. If the superpowers attained are related to the specific nature of the danger, it's an AdaptiveAbility. May overlap with HeroicSafeMode which is more about how existing powers are used than new powers. See also, EmotionalPowers.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', Accelerator's PsychicPowers, named "Vector Change", make him basically untouchable: any kind of harmful object (fist, bullet, radiation, extreme heat, etc) that touches his body gets its vectors reversed and reflected away from him without doing him any harm. This is just its basic "setting", however. If he makes active use of his Vector Change, he can do [[SuperPowerLottery many other things with it]]. [[spoiler:Using Vector Change to the maximum extent possible]] can only be done by willingly [[spoiler:shutting off this auto-defense]], however; this fact was exploited by one villain to [[spoiler:land a successful shot on Accelerator that left him with crippling brain damage (he recovered... sort of)]].
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Digivolution is usually triggered when the Digimon's partners are in danger. In the episode "The Arrival of SkullGreymon," Tai [[ExploitedTrope exploited this]] by deliberately putting himself in harm's way to force Greymon to digivolve to the Ultimate level. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor It doesn't work out the way he hoped.]]
* In ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', if Shinji is in a particularly grave psychological threat, Eva-01 goes into "berserker mode" where it breaks off from its technological restraint and becomes a SuperRobot which is actually an EldritchAbomination that dismembers said threat [[{{Gorn}} in a quite savage manner]]. [[spoiler:The basis of the OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness' conspiracy is about ritualistically using this defence mechanism's RealityWarper capabilities to trigger TheEndOFTheWorldAsWeKnowIt InTheirOwnImage. Said defence mechanism is powered by the soul of Shinji's mother.]] Fitting, with how this series is based on Freud's theories about defence mechanisms [[spoiler:and maternal relationships]].
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** As a child, Gohan could only access his hidden powers when properly threatened or angered.
** Unlocking the famed [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]] transformation in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' requires the user to lose all mental and emotional restraint, to get an incredible boost of power. This ''usually'' involves life-or-death stakes and / or a great personal loss.
** In the finale of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', Goku muses that this is how Ultra Instinct - Mastered seems to work. Unlike his various Super Saiyan forms, Goku can't activate the form at will. It's only when he's in a truly life or death situation, such as having his universe erased if he didn't win the tournament, that he's able to tap into the form's power.
* ''Manga/InuYasha''. When [=InuYasha=] feels death staring him in the face, his [[{{Youkai}} superhuman]] ancestry goes into a SuperPoweredEvilSide, which would eventually [[AxCrazy consume his soul]]. His sword has a [[RestrainingBolt binding spell on it to prevent this]].
** Happened to Kagome in the first episode, while [[{{Youkai}} Mistress Centipede]] is hauling her through the Bone Eater's Well.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has a Stand called "[[Music/{{U2}} Achtung Baby]]" (yes, the entire series is [[ShoutOut music references]]). It activates its power of invisibility when its infant user is scared. Of course, in a series where HeartIsAnAwesomePower, this is incredibly useful.
** Since Stands primarily protect their user from harm, it seems that it's not uncommon for Stand Users to learn of their power in this way. For example, in the first episode of the ''Stardust Crusaders'' series, Jotaro demonstrates by attempting to shoot himself in the head at point blank range; before he even learns how to control it properly, his Stand, Star Platinum, responds autonomously by catching the bullet mid-flight.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'''s [[AxCrazy Gaara]] qualifies as he is protected by the sand controlled by his [[SealedEvilInACan inner demon, Shukaku]]. [[spoiler:The ninja war arc reveals he is protected by his mother, not Shukaku.]]
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', [[HeavilyArmoredMook The Invincible Pearl]] could manifest flames when he felt threatened, i.e. whenever anyone managed to put a scratch on him through his supposedly invincible defense. While screaming "DANGER!! DANGER!!"
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', titular character has the Neko-Ken technique. His mind "learned" it as a way to briefly escape his crippling [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes ailurophobia]] when he's absolutely surrounded by cats and is unable to flee from them, turning ''him'' into a cat. It happens more often than you might think. While it makes him immensely powerful, lightning-fast, and savage, he still ''thinks like a cat'' while in that state, making it an UselessUsefulSpell that anyone with half a mind can thwart and defeat.
* Pacifica from ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'' is only seemingly able to use her [[MakeMeWannaShout scream attack]] when under extreme stress.
* Emergy Maxfell of ''Anime/{{Scryed}}'' can only conjure his alter when he feels threatened, and it gets more powerful the more hopeless the situation gets.
* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Death the Kid has one of these, shown when he is in serious danger of being killed by [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Mosquito]]. The activation is involuntary, and appears to allow for a significant boost in power and healing serious injury. It was presumably [[spoiler: a function [[TrulySingleParent Shinigami allowed for]] so that Kid would be able to defend himself if put in mortal danger while still a child. The fact that Mosquito ''knew'' what Kid [[HumanoidAbomination really was]] - and mocks him for it - suggests he [[TooDumbToLive should have known better.]]]]
* Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi of ''LightNovel/FateZero'' has this in the form of the Volumen Hydragyrum, an enormous bolus of mercury that (a) he [[MorphWeapon manipulates at will]] and (b) automatically defends him against threats.
* Hana Asakura from ''Manga/ShamanKingFlowers'' posseses one of this. [[spoiler:After a close encounter with death,]] Hana was given by Hao the same Oni summon ability his mother Anna used to have; they will be released whenever Hana's life is in danger.
* In ''Manga/Brave10'', the villains don't seem to pick up very quickly that kidnapping Isanami and putting her friends in danger is a one-way street to getting unconsciously [[PowerOfTheVoid vaporized]] by her.
* In ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'', Illya first awakens to her higher powers as a Grail Vessel in this manner. Facing down Saber Alter without the MagicWand that usually gives her magic powers, suppressed memories unlock and she begins to activate her own ''native'' magic powers, which, when combined with the Archer card she had on her, prove enough to take down the rogue Servant.

* One of the KudzuPlot elements of ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis'' was ComicBook/JimmyOlsen suddenly getting all of his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] powers at the same time thanks to getting the New Gods' souls jammed into him. One of them would activate when he was seriously threatened.
* Comicbook/{{Empowered}}'s existing powers get much more effective when Ninjette is busy disproving the Law of ConservationOfNinjitsu, as well as in a couple of other situations of extreme danger. Possibly justified in that her powers work best when she isn't second-guessing herself or afflicted with low self-esteem: a situation so dangerous or scary that it can be her only focus is therefore a powerup.
* Darwin of ''ComicBook/XMen[=/=]Comicbook/XFactor'' sounds like the most literal example. His superpower is nothing but defense mechanisms, of any imaginable variety, for any and all situations, cranked up to the point of invincibility. It's just too bad he doesn't really have anything for offense. So while he can ''survive'' almost anything, he rarely has the ability to actually ''win'' a fight. On one notable occasion, his powers decided the best way for him to survive fighting the Hulk was to teleport him - to the next state over.
** However, in at least one what-if dealing with Vulcan, who was prepared to murder everyone in the X-Men to cover up how he'd killed all the X-Men trapped on Krakatoa in a Superboy-Prime kind of "No, I didn't mean to!" situation, Xavier guided Darwin into taking a more proactive, controlled use of his power as he fed it information on what was happening, resulting in Darwin's power forming the ability to destroy the part of Vulcan's brain that accessed his powers, rendering him permanently powerless.
** Before that, there was Lifeguard, a short-term member of the team whose powers were "whatever's necessary to get people out of harm's way." Under fire? Armored skin. Someone's falling from a building? Sprout wings. And so on. Like Darwin, this doesn't always translate into "beat the bad guy threatening everyone." Worse, if ''she's'' in danger, she's on her own.
* It could be said that [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] could qualify as having such a power, assuming that whatever's threatening Bruce Banner manages to anger him enough. [[SplitPersonality Some of the Hulks]] certainly see part of their purpose being to deal with anything that threatens Bruce.
** Some stories have established that, if Bruce has been mortally wounded [[HulkingOut it triggers the transformation]] regardless of whether he's angered or not.
* Any member of the Franchise/GreenLantern Corps will be defended or kept alive by their ring when unconscious, regardless of the 24-hour limitations. This is usually with just a thin shield, but can be tapped to use real powers if conscious but trapped. Some Green Lanterns are even able to make their rings run solely on willpower from within. All other ringslingers share this power, and Sinestro corpsmen need to do this as a rite of passage.

* Ringo in ''Fanfic/WithStringsAttached''. He automatically teleports to a safe location when he is badly startled. This can be inconvenient when he ends up somewhere hundreds of miles away from the others.
* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', Harry's protection from his mother, [[spoiler: which takes the form of a connection to the Phoenix, combined with DeathActivatedSuperpower]] - whenever he's in mortal danger, [[spoiler: dying or dead, the Phoenix]] protects him, usually fairly subtly (relatively speaking). First by protecting him from Voldemort's killing curse as a baby, then by incinerating Quirrell, the by ensuring that Fawkes came to his aid in the Chamber of Secrets and then by giving his PsychicPowers the nudge they needed to activate and send a distress call, triggering the events of the story, and in chapter 58, [[spoiler: scaring off Hera]]. And then, in chapter 71, subtlety is dispensed with [[spoiler: by resurrecting him, possessing him, and going on a rampage that kills at least a couple of dozen HYDRA Agents and several hundred Dementors.]]

[[folder:Film — Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Violet Parr gets a boost to her force field powers (effectively permanent until she dissolves them, probably six feet in diameter) when she and her brother, Dash, are threatened by the villian's mooks. Inverted earlier in the movie: when requested by her mother to [[spoiler:put a force field around a plane to stop them being blown out of the sky with ground-to-air missiles, she panics and is completely unable to concentrate and make one that's a) large enough to cover the plane or b) exists for more than a second]].
* The title character in ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' is a massive alien war machine that, due to damage caused during the initial landing on earth, is completely unaware of its true purpose. Unfortunately, the Giant's weapons and more destructive mindset can be triggered against its will if it perceives a threat.
* At first, Miles Morales's invisibility in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' only kicks in if he's really afraid. [[HowDoIShotWeb He figures out how to use it on command later, at least.]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
* The Hulk in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' takes this a step further, emerging not only when Banner is angry enough, but whenever his life is significantly threatened. As Banner learned the hard way, this includes [[DrivenToSuicide self-inflicted injury]].
** Due to RuleOfFunny, the only time this fails is when he jumps from a great height in ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' and ''Film/ThorRagnarok''; Bruce gets to faceplant messily, ''then'' [[HulkingOut he Hulks out]].
* ''Film/DarkCity'': Prior to getting an ExpositionBeam explaining his powers, John Murdoch could only use them when his survival instincts kicked in.
* Minya from the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films can shoot a stream of thermonuclear breath, but only when his tail is stepped on.
* ''Film/{{Teeth}}'' is a lovely film about a teen girl with VaginaDentata. These teeth only chomp down when there's something up in there and she doesn't want it up in there... which happens quite frequently throughout the movie.
** It doesn't help that in the film's universe, AllMenArePerverts.
* Similar to the comic, Darwin's power in ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' is this trope with some overlap in AdaptiveAbility, borrowing inspiration from nature. Submerged in water? Grow gills. Getting bludgeoned? Grow chitinous skin plates.

[[folder:Light Novels]]
* ''LightNovel/TheLegendaryMoonlightSculptor'': As a reward for completing an epic quest arc, the main character Weed unlocks a new class for players, the {{Necromancer}}, and is rewarded a high-level, as of yet unknown power from the class called The Power to Reject Death, allowing him, when he dies, to resurrect as a random {{Undead}} class of monster with new stats and powers until he either dies again, or until 24 hours have passed and he returns to being human. In addition, some of his revivals grant him full on control of necromancy skills, while his class type is normally locked out of any variety of sorcery.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Literature/TheChildrenOfMan'', the blue magic of the Nikelan Oracles will generally protect them from harm. In one memorable case, an Oracle fell off a cliff, and her blue generated a force-field around her, causing her to bounce down the cliff unharmed.
* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', this is how young wizards first manifest their powers prior to learning to control them. In Harry's case for example, his first memory of using magic is [[{{Teleportation}} apparating]] away from some pursuing bullies. Other manifestations include shrinking the incredibly ugly sweater he was forced to wear until it no longer fit him and growing all his hair back overnight when the Dursleys had shaved him bald.
** Lots of wizard children are lucky enough to manifest by levitating a favorite toy that no one will pick up for them, or something--it's just unluckies like Harry and The Amazing Bouncing Neville who have good stories.
-->'''Hagrid:''' Did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain, when you were angry, or scared?
* The main character in Richard Sabia's short story ''I Was A Teen-Age Secret Weapon'' has a psychic power that causes anyone who displays hostility towards him to lose coordination and become accident-prone. He never really becomes aware that he has this power, and only the military scientists who have been studying him seem to know about it.
* In the ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'' trilogy, Vin decides that she has this. When losing a fight, she is saved by doing something with her existing magic that nobody knew was even theoretically possible - specifically, she [[spoiler: drew on the titular mists for a much-needed power boost]]. She later counts on this trope coming into play to save her. In the end, [[spoiler: that doesn't work, because the ability isn't actually an example of this trope like she thought it was. Rather, something else had been blocking her most of the time.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': From time to time Tash Arranda of ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear'' forms a kind of bubble around herself while under attack, which can even push back attackers that are close enough. It doesn't always even appear, though.
* Bink, from the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' novels, had one of these; people incorrectly believed him to have no magical talent at all because no one had ever seen it activate. [[spoiler:Turns out he cannot be harmed by magic, making it one of the most powerful talents ever--to the point where the talent, itself, will literally enact {{Gambit Roulette}}s in order to keep magic from harming him. The talent works in indirect ways in an effort to hide its own existence; after all, if somebody knew Bink's talent, they might find some non-magical rock to bash in his head with. Eventually the Evil Magician Trent figured it out because his powerful magic caused Bink's talents to generate increasingly implausible scenarios to protect him. Good thing it turned out Trent wasn't actually evil.]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' had an episode with a girl whose telekinetic powers were this way. They started as a result of sexual abuse by her father and kicked in when she got threatened.
* ''Series/Charmed1998'':
** Piper, who had the power to freeze time, activated by being startled or scared through most of the first season.
** Phoebe's levitation activated during a fight with a demon. Her premonitions were mostly received to inform her that some innocent's life was in danger.
** Paige could only orb for a long time when startled or in immediate danger.
* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'':
** "The Morgan" can cause heart attacks and slippage near very high and broken windows.
** Now we have Intersect 2, which is essentially a bucket full of one Defence Mechanism Superpower after another.
** 2.0 actually both subverts it and plays it straight. Chuck can only use it when he's not overly emotional, which means he can use it when he's not in danger. The moment things get stressful he can't use it, until he really needs to, at which point he emotionally either enters the eye of the storm (if somebody else is in danger) or has to use a calming mantra (if he's in danger).

** The Doctor himself has this, like all Time Lords, in the form of Regeneration.
** Possibly a bit different, but the [[Characters/DoctorWhoWeepingAngels Weeping Angels]] turn to stone when they are being looked at.
--->'''Tenth Doctor:''' They have survived this long because they have the most perfect defence system ever evolved.
*** When they reappear in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels "The Time of Angels"]], it is clarified that they aren't just ''stone'' — you cannot, for example, break them with a hammer--but somehow out of phase with the universe in such a way that they cannot be damaged at all in stone mode. The word quantum may be involved.
* In ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'', the organic EnergyWeapons known as Skrills are revealed to have been re-engineered from a race of primitive insect-like creatures that fire blasts of energy when threatened. Companion Protectors control their Skrills using their Cyber-Viral Implants.
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'':
** Maya becomes a PoisonousPerson when she gets scared, and could originally only counteract it [[WonderTwinPowers in the presence of her twin brother]].
** Elle surges with thus-far-unseen levels of electricity as a response to Sylar trying to slice her head open.
%%* The boy from the pilot episode of ''Series/{{Sanctuary}}''.
* ''Series/TheSentinel'': Jim Ellison's SuperSenses awaken due to the stress of being isolated in the remote jungles of Peru. When he returns home, he forgets about it due to PTSD, but when he becomes solitary again as a cop on a stakeout, they reawaken. PowerIncontinence and HowDoIShotWeb are major components of the show.
* ''Series/TimeTrax'': The [[HumanAlien Procardians]] have a defense mechanism activated involuntarily under threat or extreme stress. They turn sideways (while still looking at the target/threat) and raise their fists with the farther fist being higher. They emit an energy blast that knocks the target into a coma.

* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' has the limitation "Emergencies Only" to simulate this.
* This is a major shtick of white cards in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering''. In particular, [[http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=Righteousness Righteousness]] and [[http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=Smite Smite]] come to mind.
* From the ''TabletopGame/MutantsandMasterminds'' splat book Hero High we get the Holding Back drawback. If enough of your team is disabled or if an appreciable number of innocent lives are at stake (including your own) you switch into an overdrive mode that makes you several levels stronger than you normally are.
* In the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'', this was how a werewolf would first manifest his powers--shifting to Crinos form when threatened and leaving his would-be-tormentors as pink mist. At least one edition of the core book had a foreword that was written as an experienced werewolf talking down one who had changed for the first time, explaining to him that what just happened was okay and (relatively) normal.
** This carries over into ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheForsaken'', where it's noted that a significant chunk of Rahu (the warrior Auspice) undergo their First Change after some asshole tries to start something with lethal intent, usually resulting in said asshole ending up in pieces.

* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', [[PsychicPowers adepts]] have forms of [[ElementalPowers Psyenergy]] which unconsciously protect them when they need it. This is first demonstrated in a cutscene in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheBrokenSeal'' when [[spoiler: they first enter Kolima or Kolima forest. They discover that some crystals are raining from the sky and turned the villagers into [[AndIMustScream trees]]. They're knocked unconscious but are protected by a shield (which reappears in several other parts of the game to help avert ConvectionSchmonvection and the like)]]. They vow to make an attempt to master this unconscious power, but never actually learn to willingly trigger it.
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'' gives this to Bowser. Whenever he gets himself crushed by something massive, his "Rump Command" becomes active and requires the brothers to pump him full of energy. The end result is that Bowser grows to Godzilla-size, ready to MegatonPunch whatever just smashed him.
* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'', Leah's power acts like this in the first two acts, only unleashing when she is in serious danger. When she finds her mother Adria again, she starts learning to control it, becoming an able mage.
* In ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', the powers of the Valkyria are activated only in life threatening situations. The main Valkyria encountered through the game (as an enemy), Selvaria, was revealed to have ''stabbed herself'' to activate her powers. [[spoiler:Later on, when a major character on the player's side is revealed to have been a Valkyria as well, this translates in gameplay into massively improved stats that only activate when the character's health drops below 50%.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney'', April Ryan doesn't have conscious control over her Shifting (i.e. dimension-hopping) powers for most of the game, and muses bitterly in her diary on how she only seems to be able to open Shifts when running for her life. Subverted later on when she learns to trigger her powers with her painting skills. Inverted in ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'', where it turns out that ''losing'' her powers after ''TLJ'' was actually a defense mechanism that "protected" April from going back to Stark and confronting the mess she made of her and her friends' lives by going on her first adventure.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': At first, Twenty-Fifth Bam's powers are completely passive, resulting in magic resistance. And occasionally, for example when he and Michelle Light get curb-stomped by Hwa Ryun, they are a last defense and use [[FunctionalMagic Shinsu]] to cut up faces. And [[EyeScream eyeballs]].
* In ''Webcomic/{{Minion}}'', the only time we've ever seen Gin in werewolf form was after a [[DemBones skeleton warrior]] KO'd him with a morningstar.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Nanase's [[spoiler:[[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1013 angel spell]]]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1623 functions as this]] along with some other restrictions.
** [[spoiler: Rhoda's]] size changing spell was first [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1393 triggered like this]].
* It's hard to say for sure, but it seems like the Monster in the Darkness, from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', might have some of these - at least whatever it was that happened in #661. In this case, it's not the [=MitD=] itself that is threatened - who knows what could do that - but those it has come to care about.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers''. SuperSoldier Shane Gooseman of the Galaxy Rangers has the reflexive ability to [[ShapeShifting adapt]] into a form that can withstand whatever hazardous environment or assault he's being exposed to.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The Avatar State starts out as this, presumably for every avatar. With effort and meditation, though, he or she can go in and out of it at will.
** It should be noted that until they reach the level where they can control entering[=/=]exiting the Avatar State, the Avatar has very little direct control over their actions in the Avatar state at all. Aang unintentionally dished out some epic destruction on Earth Kingdom soldiers when a general provoked him into the transformation in an attempt to help[=/=]force him to master the state before he was ready. He also almost certainly killed more Fire Nation soldiers [[FridgeHorror than he would ever be comfortable acknowledging]], back when he fused with the Ocean Spirit.
** The entire reason Aang survived becoming a HumanPopsicle for a hundred years is because he instinctively used the Avatar State and a combination of air and water bending. Spending the entire century trapped in the Avatar State kept him alive, but it also burnt up the extra vitality that being the Avatar normally grants, leading to a relatively early death in his sixties (technically 160's).
** In the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', some villains try to exploit this: If the Avatar were to die in the Avatar State, the Avatar Cycle would be broken. [[spoiler:So they capture and poison her.]]
* The Blowfish Avenger in ''WesternAnimation/TheTick''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', Fox is the daughter of Halcyon Renard and [[spoiler: Titania]]. Despite that, for the whole series she shows no signs of being anything other than a normal human. That is, until [[spoiler: Oberon tries to kidnap her newborn son, to which she screams and sends him through the wall with a blast of raw, magical force.]]
* Steven from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' is full of these: he inherited a lot of powers from his mother and has mastered none of them. He's not aided the the fact that they're even more unreliable than most. His shield has often totally failed to activate in dangerous situations and one time he found himself unable to deactivate it, trapping him and Connie inside for hours.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The "fight-or-flight" emergency response state makes defence-mechanism "super strength" an occasional TruthInTelevision. When faced with life or death, the human body goes into survival at any cost mode. This includes producing adrenaline which boost muscle strength, shutting down strength restrictions that prevent muscles from tearing themselves apart and releasing endorphins to prevent the sensation of pain. Net result: you can lift a helicopter for several seconds. There is a reason why we can't activate the fight-or-fight reaction voluntarily and can only remain as a Defence Mechanism: The stress response halts or slows down various relaxed processes such as sexual responses and digestive systems to focus all energy on the stressor situation, which means that [[HeroicRROD prolonged stress responses may actually result in long-term bodily damage, like digestive disorders and the suppression of the immune system. If you constantly have your muscles in maximum power due to adrenaline overload, your muscles will eventually tear themselves from the bone, rip themselves apart, or even start to liquefy]]. Of course, the severity of the damage depends on the intensity of the stressor, how far beyond the limits one goes, and for how long.
[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': At first, 25th Baam's powers are completely passive, resulting in magic resistance. And occasionally, for example when he and Michelle Light get curb-stomped by Hwa Ryun, they are a last defense and use [[FunctionalMagic Shinsoo]] to cut up faces. And [[EyeScream eyeballs]]

** Now we have Intersect 2, which is essentially a bucket full of one DefenceMechanismSuperpower after another.

* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', [[PsychicPowers adepts]] have forms of [[ElementalPowers Psyenergy]] which unconsciously protect them when they need it. This is first demonstrated in a cutscene in the first game when [[spoiler: they first enter Kolima or Kolima forest. They discover that some crystals are raining from the sky and turned the villagers into [[AndIMustScream trees]]. They're knocked unconscious but are protected by a shield (which reappears in several other parts of the game to help avert ConvectionSchmonvection and the like)]]. They vow to make an attempt to master this unconscious power, but never actually learn to willingly trigger it.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has a stand called "[[Music/{{U2}} Achtung Baby]]" (yes, the entire series is [[ShoutOut music references]]). It activates its power of invisibility when scared. Of course, in a series where HeartIsAnAwesomePower, this is incredibly useful.
** Since stands primarily protect their user from harm, it seems that it's not uncommon for stand users to learn of their power in this way. For example, in the first episode of the ''Stardust Crusaders'' series, Jotaro demonstrates by attempting to shoot himself in the head at point blank range; before he even learns how to control it properly, his stand, Star Platinum, responds autonomously by catching the bullet mid-flight.

[[folder:LightNovel]]

A character has a superpower that only works when they're threatened - they can't initiate it at will, and occasionally [[PowerIncontinence they can't stop it either]]. This kind of situation is a common cue for [[DieOrFly heretofore unknown powers to develop]] or for existing ones to undergo [[PowerCreepPowerSeep a dramatic boost in power]], either temporarily or [[TookALevelInBadass for keeps]]. A storyline in which the character [[HowDoIShotWeb tries to learn to use their power voluntarily]] is a likely result.

Villains [[AntagonistAbilities may have better control of their defence mechanism superpower]], if they have one: not only they will display less incontinence, they don't have to put much thought to defend themselves - as their PowersDoTheFighting.

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex,'' Accelerator's PsychicPowers, named "Vector Change", make him basically untouchable: any kind of harmful object (fist, bullet, radiation, extreme heat, etc) that touches his body gets its vectors reversed and reflected away from him without doing him any harm. This is just its basic "setting" however. If he makes active use of his Vector Change, he can do [[SuperPowerLottery many other things with it]]. [[spoiler:Using Vector Change to the maximum extent possible]] can only be done by willingly [[spoiler:shutting off this auto-defense]], however; this fact was exploited by one villain to [[spoiler:land a successful shot on Accelerator that left him with crippling brain damage (he recovered... sort of)]].

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

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

* In ''Literature/TheChildrenOfMan'', the blue magic of the Nikelan Oracles will generally protect them from harm. In one memorable case, an Oracle fell off a cliff, and her blue generated a force-field around her, causing her to bounce down the cliff unharmed.
* From time to time Tash Arranda of ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear'' forms a kind of bubble around herself while under attack, which can even push back attackers that are close enough. It doesn't always even appear, though.

* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'':

* "The Morgan", as demonstrated by ''Series/{{Chuck}}'', can cause heart attacks and slippage near very high and broken windows.

* Possibly a bit different, but in ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Weeping Angels turn to stone when they are being looked at.
-->'''Tenth Doctor:''' They have survived this long because they have the most perfect defence system ever evolved.
** When they reappear in "The Time of Angels", it is clarified that they aren't just ''stone''--you cannot, for example, break them with a hammer--but somehow out of phase with the universe in such a way that they cannot be damaged at all in stone mode. The word quantum may be involved.
* The Doctor himself has this, like all Time Lords, in the form of Regeneration.
* Maya on ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', who becomes a PoisonousPerson when she gets scared, and could originally only counteract it [[WonderTwinPowers in the presence of her twin brother]].
** Also from ''Heroes'', Elle surges with thus-far-unseen levels of electricity as a response to Sylar trying to slice her head open.
* The boy from the pilot episode of ''Series/{{Sanctuary}}''.
* The [[HumanAlien Procardians]] in ''Series/TimeTrax'' have a defense mechanism activated involuntarily under threat or extreme stress. They turn sideways (while still looking at the target/threat) and raise their fists with the farther fist being higher. They emit an energy blast that knocks the target into a coma.
* In ''Series/TheSentinel'', Jim Ellison's SuperSenses awaken due to the stress of being isolated in the remote jungles of Peru. When he returns home, he forgets about it due to PTSD, but when he becomes solitary again as a cop on a stakeout, they reawaken. PowerIncontinence and HowDoIShotWeb are major components of the show.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* It could be said that [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the Hulk]] could qualify as having such a power, assuming that whatever's threatening Bruce Banner manages to anger him enough.
** Some stories have established that, had Bruce Banner been mortally wounded [[HulkingOut it would trigger the transformation]] regardless of whether he's angered or not.
* Any member of the GreenLantern Corp will be defended or kept alive by their ring when unconscious, regardless of the 24-hour limitations. This is usually with just a thin shield, but can be tapped to use real powers if conscious but trapped. Some GreenLanterns are even able to make their rings run solely on willpower from within. All other ringslingers share this power, and Sinestro corpsmen need to do this as a right of passage.

* Piper from ''Series/{{Charmed}}'', who had the power to freeze time, activated by being startled or scared through most of the first season.
** Likewise for Phoebe's levitation, which activated during a fight with a demon, and Paige could only orb for a long time when startled or in immediate danger. Phoebe also mostly received premonitions to inform her that some innocent's life was in danger.

Villains [[AntagonistAbilities may have better control of their defense mechanism superpower]], if they have one: not only they will display less incontinence, they don't have to put much thought to defend themselves - as their PowersDoTheFighting.

Can be used in a similar way to AlwaysABiggerFish, with a cowering hero looking up to discover their aggressor has mysteriously been blasted into dust, and muttering innocently "Did I do that?". Compare DesperationAttack, a similar trope in video games.

* Son Gohan from ''Franchise/DragonBall'' starts out as a pampered child who can only access his hidden powers when properly threatened or angered.
** The famed [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]] transformation in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' requires the user to lose all mental and emotional restraint, to get an incredible boost of power.
** In the finale of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', Goku muses that this is how Ultra Instinct - Mastered seems to work. Unlike his various Super Saiyan forms, Goku can't activate the form at will. It's only when he's in a truly life or death situation, such as having his universe erased if he didn't win the tournament, is he able to tap into the form's power.

Compare DieOrFly, in which a power is initially discovered in this way, but can be used freely thereafter. If the superpowers attained are related to the specific nature of the danger, it's an AdaptiveAbility. May overlap with HeroicSafeMode which is more about how existing powers are used than new powers. See also, EmotionalPowers.

* In ''Series/TheSentinel'', Jim Ellison's SuperSenses awaken due to the stress of being isolated in the remote jungles of Peru. When he returns home, he forgets about it due to PTSD, but when he becomes solitary again as a cop on a stakeout, they reawaken. Learning how to control his powers is a major part of the show.

* In ''{{Minion}}'', the only time we've ever seen Gin in werewolf form was after a [[DemBones skeleton warrior]] KO'd him with a morningstar.

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex,'' Accelerator's PsychicPowers, named "Vector Change", make him basically untouchable: any kind of harmful object (fist, bullet, radiation, extreme heat, etc) that touches his body gets its vectors reversed and reflected away from him without doing him any harm. This is just its basic "setting" however. If he makes active use of his Vector Change, he can do [[SuperPowerLottery many other things with it]].