History Main / FrightDeathtrap

** Subverted if the feared object actually is a PvE monster running around and alerting nearby monsters so they join the battle, eventually killing the warlock (or whatever) and his whole group instead.

* The Scared Stiff variant is attempted in an episode of {{Monk}}, where someone wants to keep the Worlds Oldest Man from reaching his next birthday.

* AgathaChristie does this a few times, though she's just ask likely to subvert it:

* The Elysian Box in ''ProfessorLayton and the Diabolical Box'' seems to function this way. Rumors surrounding the box say that it kills all who dare open it, and the game begins with the death of Layton's old mentor while investigating the rumors [[spoiler: it turns out that the box's "power" actually comes from the victim being exposed to a type of fume that causes the inhaler to be highly susceptible to suggestion to the point of perceiving whatever he thinks might be in the room as actually being there. Schrader actually recovers from his death at the end, but it's speculated that he may have been one of the lucky ones who wasn't say, chased out of a tenth story window by the imaginary thirty foot python lurking in the box, much like the YoungSherlockHolmes example]].

* Attempted in one episode of ''RandallAndHopkirkDeceased'' by a ghost villain, who appeared in the middle of the road while his target was driving. But his target knew he was a ghost and just drove straight through him.

MurderIsTheBestSolution; sadly, it's not always practical or possible to [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim simply shoot the target]]. Either because they want to avoid being incriminated in the murder or have no corporeal body, the murderer will use a Fright Deathtrap to figuratively scare someone to death. The Fright Deathtrap consists of scaring someone at just the right moment so they end up dead in circumstances that Occam's Razor will imply was an accident rather than foul play or the supernatural.

MurderIsTheBestSolution, sadly it's not always practical or possible to [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim simply shoot the target]]. Either because they want to avoid being incriminated in the murder or have no corporeal body, the murderer will use a Fright Deathtrap to figuratively scare someone to death. The Fright Deathtrap consists of scaring someone at just the right moment so they end up dead in circumstances that Occam's Razor will imply was an accident rather than foul play or the supernatural.

This usually requires a bit of set up though, the murderer has to [[ClockKing know the victim's routine]], surroundings and/or [[ManipulativeBastard reactions]] well enough to manipulate them into a nearby danger, often one they have to identify or place themselves. For the sake of ThePerfectCrime, it should be something that was always there, but a harmless gift (or abandoned object) serves just as well if it's in a place that can help kill the victim.

* '''Deer caught in headlights:''' Scaring a person motionless so that they ignore, fail to dodge or escape an approaching danger or falling object.

This isn't anywhere near foolproof of course, and runs the risk that failing to scare the victim into a Fright Deathtrap puts the thwarted murderer out in the open. [[IWouldSayIfICouldSay If he could die a second time]], a ghost might die of shame at being as ineffective as a PeekABogeyman. The would-be victim now knows someone (or thing) is out to get them. ... unless the would-be murderer used a [[CatScare spring loaded cat as the scare.]]

* The last variety occurs in ''{{Diabolique}}''.

* In the film and play ''{{Deathtrap}}'', [[spoiler:wife Myra Bruhl]] is literally frightened to death after witnessing a staged murder victim return from their grave. [[spoiler:She]] collapses from a fatal heart attack, and the conspirators shake hands over the body.

* The '''Run to your doom''' variety is used frequently in {{Young Sherlock Holmes}}, as several elder gentlemen [[spoiler:who pissed off the wrong Egyptian cult as younger men]] are drugged with blow-darts, causing them to see terrifying hallucinations and run into traffic, leap out 3rd story windows, etc.
* In the film and play Deathtrap, [[spoiler:wife Myra Bruhl]] is literally frightened to death after witnessing a staged murder victim return from their grave. [[spoiler:She]] collapses from a fatal heart attack, and the conspirators shake hands over the body.

* In a definite CrowningMomentOfAwesome, [[spoiler:a young Lord Vetinari]] does this to Lord Winder in Discworld/NightWatch. The ProperlyParanoid Winder is expecting to be poisoned or otherwise assassinated, and his nerves are so on edge that a simple "boo" causes him to die of fright.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* The 1999's Disney short "How to Haunt a House," from ''HouseOfMouse'': at the beginning, we hear Goofy getting hit by a car so that he can be a ghost and demonstrate how to haunt a house, with DonaldDuck as the hauntee. After many amusing attempts that end in failure, he finally succeeds in scaring Donald, who runs out the door, is also hit by a car, and comes back inside as a rather angry ghost.

* In an example of Run to your Doom, WorldOfWarcraft has the infamous "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Fear]]" spell available to Warlocks (And a myriad of other Fear inducing spells and abilities available to other classes)-- it finds its biggest use in PvP where it can be used to... well, in a way, scare the other player's character to death.

* The Elysian Box in ProfessorLayton and the Diabolical Box seems to function this way. Rumors surrounding the box say that it kills all who dare open it, and the game begins with the death of Layton's old mentor while investigating the rumors [[spoiler: it turns out that the box's "power" actually comes from the victim being exposed to a type of fume that causes the inhaler to be highly susceptible to suggestion to the point of perceiving whatever he thinks might be in the room as actually being there. Schrader actually recovers from his death at the end, but it's speculated that he may have been one of the lucky ones who wasn't say, chased out of a tenth story window by the imaginary thirty foot python lurking in the box, much like the YoungSherlockHolmes example]].

* In ''[[HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi Higurashi: When They Cry]]'', during the last part of the arc, [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel Keiichi is attacked by Mion while he's at the hospital]]. But, much as it is a surprise to say, [[spoiler: first, the REAL murderer was [[AxCrazy Shion]], and second, in the first of the answer arcs, it's revealed that it was actually a hallucination that caused him to see the same thing over and over again until he finally died of a heart attack.]]

* ''NightGallery'' episode "The Ghost Of Sorworth Place". A ghost appears near the top of a flight of stairs. A man pursuing the ghost tries to grab it but falls through it and down the flight of stairs, breaking his neck. Watch it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m171HaEXr6Y here, starting at 5:00]].

* The 1999's Disney short "How to Haunt a House," from ''HouseOfMouse'': at the beginning, we hear Goofy getting hit by a car so that he can be a ghost and demonstrate how to haunt a house. At the end of the short, he finally succeeds in scaring Donald, who runs out the door, is also hit by a car, and comes back inside as a rather angry ghost.

* '''Deadly Fall:''' Scaring a person at the top of a staircase so they fall and break their neck.

* In ''[[HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi Higurashi: When They Cry]]'', during the last part of the arc, [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel Keiichi is attacked by Mion while he's at the hospital]]. But, much as it is a surprise to say, [[spoiler: first, the REAL murderer was {{Yandere Shion}}, and second, in the first of the answer arcs, it's revealed that it was actually a hallucination that caused him to see the same thing over and over again until he finally died of a heart attack.]]

* In ''[[HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi Higurashi: When They Cry]]'', during the last part of the arc, [[HighOctanceNightmareFuel Keiichi is attacked by Mion while he's at the hospital]]. But, much as it is a surprise to say, [[spoiler: first, the REAL murderer was {{Yandere Shion}}, and second, in the first of the answer arcs, it's revealed that it was actually a hallucination that caused him to see the same thing over and over again until he finally died of a heart attack.]]

* In a definite CrowningMomentOfAwesome, [[spoiler:a young Lord Vetinari]] does this to Lord Snapcase in Discworld/NightWatch. The ProperlyParanoid Snapcase is expecting to be poisoned or otherwise assassinated, and his nerves are so on edge that a simple "boo" causes him to die of fright.

* ''SilentHill'' starts this way (both the game and the movie). Harry swerves to avoid running over a woman in a schoolgirl uniform and crashes into Silent Hill. Tellingly, harry ''fails'' to avoid her, and though she braces for the impact she shimmers like smoke after the jeep goes through her.

This isn't anywhere near foolproof of course, and runs the risk that failing to scare the victim into a Fright Deathtrap puts the thwarted murderer out in the open. The would-be victim now knows someone (or thing) is out to get them. ... unless the would-be murderer used a [[CatScare spring loaded cat as the scare.]]