History Main / DramaticShattering

* ''Film/{{Manhunter}}'' and ''Film/RedDragon'' has the killer at large; Francis Dollarhyde who leaves slivers of glass embedded in his victim's eyes. Inthe climax of the former, he's shown shattering a mirror [[spoiler: as he prepares to kill his blind girlfriend]].

* In ''[[Literature/HarryPotter Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]], Harry overhears Aunt Marge insulting his mum and dad, and loses control of his magic, making the glass in Marge's hand shatter.

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "Year of Hell", Voyager finds itself in a war zone and keeps getting hammered by aliens with more powerful technology. Captain Janeway is searching through the ruins of her ready room and finds her lucky coffee cup is intact, which she takes as a good omen. Then they're attacked again, and as Janeway rushes for the bridge the vibrations knock to cup off the table so it shatters on the floor.

Drama can be quite a vandal. It likes to break things just to punctuate the mood. [[SuperTrope Often takes the form]] of a [[DramaticDrop dropped glass or other fragile item]], often [[SlowMotionDrop in slow motion]] and/or accompanied by a [[DesperateObjectCatch vain attempt to catch it]], but smashing even upright things will do for dramatic emphasis. This is obligatory for a [[ImprovisedWeapon shank being made]] out of a glass bottle.

Compare SuperWindowJump (awesomely breaking glass to herald one's appearance or retreat), RageAgainstTheReflection, AGlassInTheHand, GlassShatteringSound, GrievousBottleyHarm, RockersSmashGuitars. The SheetOfGlass is a contrived way of creating this trope.

Compare SuperWindowJump (awesomely breaking glass to herald one's appearance or retreat), RageAgainstTheReflection, AGlassInTheHand, GlassShatteringSound, GrievousBottleyHarm, RockersSmashGuitars. WindowPain and the SheetOfGlass are contrived ways of creating this trope.

[[caption-width-right:256:"Then take whatever was behind that, and break it too."]]

[[quoteright:256:[[WebAnimation/RoseOfVersaillesAbridged http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/drama_glass_001.png]]]]

[[folder:Fan Fic]]

* Shows up as a result of a lot of power and anger in the ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''/''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' {{crossover}}, ''FanFic/SayItThrice''. When Betelgeuse observes [[OriginalCharacter Sanduleak]] through the reflections getting far too close to Lydia with some rather [[AttemptedRape unpleasant]] [[SlashedThroat plans]] in mind, Betelgeuse's frustrated anger shatters ''all'' the reflective surfaces in the real world.

[[folder:Film]]

* A common trope in 1980s music videos.
* Russell Mulcahey (the director of ''Film/{{Highlander}}'') started his career by directing many, many music videos in the 1980s. He practically invented the "glass object shattering in slow motion" motif used so often in the TEN videos he did for Duran Duran.
* (Not entirely sure if this counts, but...) I THREW IT ON THE GROUND!

[[folder:Podcast]]
* In the ''Podcast/Wolf359''-episode "Do No Harm", [[spoiler: [[IronWoobie Lovelace]]]] insists on obstructing [[MadDoctor Hilbert]] to make sure he doesn't attempt to put more viruses in [[{{Adorkable}} Eiffel's]] system - ''while [[spoiler: Eiffel is in critical condition]].'' [[TheCaptain Minkowski]] finally has enough and orders [[spoiler: Lovelace]] to leave. When she tries to argue, Minkowski throws something made of glass at the wall, causing it to shatter.
-->'''Minkowski:''' [[TranquilFury Leave]]. ''Now.''

[[folder:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/NextToNormal'', Dan dramatically smashes a music box.
[[/folder]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'', characters would [[SummonMagic summon their Persona]] by [[RuleOfSymbolism placing the gun-shaped Evoker to their head and pulling the trigger]] --and a flurry of blue "shards" would fly out the other side of their head, with the sound of glass breaking, to symbolize their own ''minds'' shattering in order for their inner selves to manifest. The same effect is used when the Protagonist (the only one who can switch Personas at will) "shattered" one Persona for another during battle, to represent his original personality breaking to make way for a new one.
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' used basically the same motif and sound effect, except that instead of their minds breaking via gunshot, the Tarot cards symbolizing the character's Persona would fly apart when struck by his or her WeaponOfChoice. The Protagonist's "mind shattering like glass while changing Personas" part was removed, however, and only the sound effect remained. This is because, unlike the first game, the characters of 4 have earned the ability to summon their Personas at will, instead of needing to trigger them in moments of like or death.

* An episode of ''WebAnimation/RoseOfVersaillesAbridged'' [[DiscussedTrope discusses this]].
-->"In a specific trope that amps up drama, break things."

[[folder:RealLife]]

* XJapan's videos for, among others, "Week End" and "Jade" feature this trope.

->'''''Never ever''' give a fragile cup to anyone with psychic powers. You're only going to end up minus one cup and pissing off the janitor.''
-->-- ''WebSite/SFDebris'' on ''Series/BabylonFive''

* Watch the music video for "I Don't Love You" by MyChemicalRomance. Right after the SubduedSection, ''everything'' shatters.

* The first opening of ''Manga/DeathNote'' has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment where a glass statue of Light falls to the ground and breaks.
* As far as intentional breaking goes, in ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'' they have Break In Case Of MonsterOfTheWeek glass covering a button as part of the over-the-top emphasis.

* In an episode of ''Anime/PrincessTutu'', Fakir smashes through a window in order to confront the DarkMagicalGirl (Mytho, however, just decided to use the door).
* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', there are two examples:

* In the first episode of ''Anime/{{K}}'', HOMRA's introduction is punctuated by Misaki's SuperWindowJump, on his skateboard, from the roof of the building across the street. [[RuleOfCool Because he can.]]
** Used comedically in episode 3, when Misaki and Rikio come into Bar HOMRA fighting and crash [[BerserkButton into the bar]], causing Kusanagi to drop the [[ObsessiveCompulsiveBarkeeping glass he was polishing]], which falls to the floor and shatters, reflecting his screaming face on the way down.
* ''Manga/{{AKIRA}}'' had a particularly memorable scene in which Tetsuo breaks the window of his hospital room as his powers awaken. He also steps on a glass cup as he stumbles away from the Espers, in a rare aversion of SoftGlass.
* The 1970's anime version of ''Anime/TheLittleMermaid'' has Marina dramatically dropping a mirror on the floor after the prince told her that he's marrying another princess whom he believes saved his life when in reality it was Marina who saved him.
* One episode of ''Anime/CinderellaMonogatari'' features Cinderella and her stepsisters being hired to clean the royal palace. The palace has a large china doll that has been in the royal family for generations. While cleaning the hallway, the stepsisters get into a fight and knock the doll off its pedestal, breaking it into pieces. As a result, the stepsisters are told that they won't be forgiven for it and are subsequently fired.
* Happens in episode 85 of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' when Ranma accidentally falls into Akane's dish of pot stickers which causes it to fall and break. Cue Akane getting down on her knees and staring at it with a broken expression while dramatic music plays in the background.
* In ''Anime/SaintSeiya'', [[AnIcePerson Cygnus Hyoga]] pulls this when stuck in an ice coffin by his own master, Aquarius Camus.
* Reiga of ''Manga/BetrayalKnowsMyName'' does this deliberately with a wine glass in episode 7.

* In ''Anime/PokemonTheRiseOfDarkrai'', an hourglass does this near the beginning when it's knocked off of Tonio's desk by the spacetime distortions.
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', during Haku's backstory [[spoiler:when Haku's father has just killed his mother and is about to kill him.]]
* The first ''Bondage Queen Kate'' {{OVA}} briefly cuts to a pane of glass cracking and then shattering to symbolize the loss of Kate's virginity.
* ''Anime/KillLaKill'' features Satsuki and the Elite Four drinking a toast of sake before throwing their cups to the ground just before the Great Sports and Culture Festival [[spoiler: and their impending open rebellion against Ragyo and the Life Fibers]].

* Done surprisingly well in ''Film/IronMan1''. After learning that his weapons have been sold to a terrorist group without his consent and seeing the news report about how they're being used to terrorize an Afghan village, Tony Stark gets up and in a moment of fury/surprise uses his new and improved pulse-blasting gloves to shatter the windows of his shop.
* In the movie ''Film/BicentennialMan'', a young Little Miss is playing on the beach with a glass figurine of a horse. She invites Andrew to hold it, but Andrew fumbles the delicate figurine, causing it to fall from his grasp and be shattered on a rock. Little Miss is understandably furious at this, since the horse was not only her favorite figure, but also irreplaceable. To remedy the situation, Andrew studies the art of wood carving, and carves for Little Miss a wooden horse figurine, thereby exhibiting creativity for the first time.

* The Russian admiral in the film version of ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'' drops his tea while reading Ramius' letter.
* Played for laughs in the ''Film/GeorgeOfTheJungle'' movie. Ursula, the heroine, nervously reveals to her parents - during a reception held for her and her fiance - that she no longer wishes to get married to her fiance. Her parents respond with a cheery, "That's OK, dear. We understand." The Narrator then quips, "Just kidding!" before Ursula's mother lets out a harrowing scream and promptly drops her wine glass, shattering it on the floor.

* ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' has Voldemort causing a shockwave during a spell that shatters every window in The Ministry Of Magic lobby.

* ''Anime/{{AKIRA}}'' had a particularly memorable scene in which Tetsuo breaks the window of his hospital room as his powers awaken. He also steps on a glass cup as he stumbles away from the Espers, in a rare aversion of SoftGlass.

Drama can be quite a vandal. It likes to break things just to punctuate the mood. [[SuperTrope Often takes the form]] of a [[DramaticDrop dropped glass or other fragile item]], often [[SlowMotionDrop in slow motion]] and/or accompanied by a failed DesperateObjectCatch, but smashing even upright things will do for dramatic emphasis. This is obligatory for a [[ImprovisedWeapon shank being made]] out of a glass bottle.

Drama can be quite a vandal. It likes to break things just to punctuate the mood. [[SuperTrope Often takes the form]] of a [[DramaticDrop dropped glass or object]], often [[SlowMotionDrop in slow motion]], but smashing even upright things will do for dramatic emphasis. This is obligatory for a shank being made out of a glass bottle.

* Subverted in the {{REM}} video "Losing My Religion"; in the beginning of the video, a pitcher of milk falls and spills on the floor but doesn't shatter.

* ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' does this with its {{Eyecatch}}. It actually comes straight from the visual novel, which would use the effect whenever there was about to be a time lapse in the narration.

* ''Anime/AKIRA'' had a particularly memorable scene in which Tetsuo breaks the window of his hospital room as his powers awaken. He also steps on a glass cup as he stumbles away from the Espers, in a rare aversion of SoftGlass.

* [[Anime/YuGiOh Pegasus]] has his [[AGlassOfChianti wine glass]] shattered after receiving a threatening message from Yami Yugi.

* A particularly cliched PortentOfDoom used in Filipino soaps: when a character is about to die in a scene, there is a quick cut to his (or a close friend's) house showing a glass falling and breaking[[note]] whether by someone accidentally dropping it, or just plain inexplicably[[/note]], and all his friends or relatives present reacting in shock to it.

* Plourr Ilo of the ''XWingSeries'' pours out her wineglass and then tosses it into the air to shatter when it falls, punctuating what she'd been saying about the tyranny of the nobles.