History Main / HairtriggerTemper

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc This video]] portraying a guy who not only goes off like he's possessed because his [=WoW=] account is cancelled, but because he is losing a game in another video. There are [[WebOriginal/GreatestFreakoutEver loads of other videos]] showing him throwing various other temper tantrums over silly things. One particularly JustForFun/{{egregious}} example is when he's auditioning for a company's advertisement and the director happens to use the word "gay" in a sentence while coincidentally gesticulating towards the kid. Cue a HUGE temper outburst, "HE POINTED AT ME WHEN HE SAID GAY!" and breaking everything in the room.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc This video]] portraying [[WebVideo/GreatestFreakoutEver a guy]] who not only goes off like he's possessed because his [=WoW=] account is cancelled, but because he is losing a game in another video. There are loads of other videos showing him throwing various other temper tantrums over silly things. One particularly JustForFun/{{egregious}} example is when he's auditioning for a company's advertisement and the director happens to use the word "gay" in a sentence while coincidentally gesticulating towards the kid. Cue a HUGE temper outburst, "HE POINTED AT ME WHEN HE SAID GAY!" and breaking everything in the room.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc This video]] portraying a guy who not only goes off like he's possessed because his [=WoW=] account is cancelled, but because he is losing a game in another video. There are loads of other videos showing him throwing various other temper tantrums over silly things. One particularly JustForFun/{{egregious}} example is when he's auditioning for a company's advertisement and the director happens to use the word "gay" in a sentence while coincidentally gesticulating towards the kid. Cue a HUGE temper outburst, "HE POINTED AT ME WHEN HE SAID GAY!" and breaking everything in the room.

* ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' has [[UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} Blanc/White Heart]]. While normally calm-looking at first glance, she tends to snap into a rage (complete with the shaded face and [[RedEyesTakeWarning glowing red eyes]]) when someone presses her {{Berserk Button}}s (either her books being messed up or her [[ACupAngst chest size is brung up]]), with some additional [[LadySwearsALot vulgarity]] to boot.

** Voldemort's Hair-Trigger Temper frightens even Bellatrix. He can go from [[DeadpanSnarker quietly sardonic]] to AxeCrazy within a second.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', Tapu Koko's Moon Pokedex entry literally states that it has this kind of temper.

** [[BrattyHalfPint Platinum the Trinity/Luna]] is a SpoiledBrat who throws tantrums when she sees something she hates, ''especially'' if there [[BuxomIsBetter big-breasted women]] (specifically [[BoobsOfSteel Litchi]])
** [[AntiHero Ragna]] himeself also qualifies due to being constantly grouchy and HotBlooded. [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold He has a kinder side to him, though]].

* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' game series, there is a Fighting-type pig monkey Pokémon called Primeape. The species as a whole will lose their temper as a response to ''anything'' and will chase the cause of their anger until they catch it and ''beat it bloody.'' Its first form, Mankey, is pretty quick to fly off the handle, too. Primeape can even die if it's enraged enough.

I threw the rest of the cake too!\\

%%* In the 1988 children's literature book ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'' there is Miss Trunchbull.

* Creator/StephenKing's works have several characters who exhibit this trait. They aren't always antagonists either.
** A character known only as The Kid from the extended edition of ''Literature/TheStand''. He starts out with fairly clear Berserk Buttons, which the Trashcan Man avoids setting off to survive, but his insanity becomes more apparent as the story goes on. It's clear that [[spoiler:if he hadn't been killed]], he would have found an excuse to kill the Trashcan Man no matter what he did.
** This is a racial trait of the aliens in King's ''Literature/TheTommyknockers'', and, along with their [[IdiotSavant total lack of common sense]], is what makes them [[InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien Insufficiently Advanced Aliens]]. They are extreme [[GadgeteerGenius technical geniuses]], but they keep killing each other off because they can't resist visiting DisproportionateRetribution on anyone who slighted them, [[EvilIsPetty no matter how petty the slight]]. For example, one character in the process of 'becoming' one of these aliens discovers that a member of his poker group used to regularly cheat. He teleports the guy to Altair 4, a faraway, desolate planet with hardly any air. How much did the guy steal? [[spoiler: ''Pennies''.]]
** In ''Literature/TheShining'' and its sequel ''Literature/DoctorSleep'', this seems to be InTheBlood of the Torrance family. Jack's abusive father had a vicious temper that would go off at even the slightest provocation or no provocation at all. Jack still remembers when his father beat his mother at the dinner table with a cane for no reason at all. Jack himself would go on to demonstrate the same violent temper even while stone-cold sober (though alcohol made it worse). He viciously beat a student of his when said student slashed his tires. His son Danny inherited the penchant for alcoholism and a bad temper, and he actually gets in trouble with the law over it as an adult. [[spoiler:His niece Abra]] ''also'' has a bad temper, and it only gets worse due to the stress caused by the True Knot.
%% ** Another King instance: Wilma in ''Literature/NeedfulThings''.
%% ** And another: Roland [=LeBay=] in ''Literature/{{Christine}}''.
* Francis Begbie in ''Literature/{{Trainspotting}}''. In the book version, Renton clearly outlines a number of Begbie's fantasies that his friends must indulge for their own safety. He says, "The trick was tae discreetly indulge him, without being seen as an obvious crawling suck-up." Begbie gets worse in the sequel, ''Porno'', when he sees a "beast" (paedophile) in a pub, and proceeds to beat him to death. [[spoiler:Spud also attempts to claim life insurance money for his family by getting Begbie to do the same to him]].
* Hotspur in the Literature/FloraSegunda novels. Among other things, he came ''this close'' to shooting the Warlord for groping Flora.
%% * The Gillian Key books are full of this--she's a very grumpy lady.

* Opal Koboi from ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' is as bad as Voldemort in this department. Her mood swings will give you whiplash.
* From ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the Mountain, Ser Gregor Clegane, snaps at the slightest provocation or perceived insult, and being over seven feet tall and wielding a greatsword one-handed, carnage generally ensues. When he loses a jousting tournament due to a misbehaving horse, he ''decapitates'' said horse in a blind rage and attacks his celebrating opponent (and his own brother when he attempts to break up the attack), only stopping when ordered to by the King. This is only a mild example.
** He is given ''something'' of an excuse in the suggestion that he constantly suffers from unfathomably painful migraine headaches (perhaps due to whatever twist of genetics made him so big and strong), to the point where he constantly has to imbibe the in-universe painkiller 'milk of the poppy' (this world's version of opium). Doesn't make him any less dangerous, though. Or less of an ass.
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Harry develops one of these after the events of ''Literature/DeathMasks''. As the series progresses he gets easier and easier to anger, reaching a point where an outburst of stubbornness from his apprentice results in him blowing up a trashcan with a bolt of fire in sheer frustration. He eventually realizes that this is because [[spoiler: of [[FallenAngel Lasciel]]'s influence on his mind.]]
** [[spoiler:Lasciel later vacates his brain, only to be replaced by the Winter Mantle, which is even worse.]]
* Literature/SisterhoodSeries by Creator/FernMichaels: Kathryn Lucas and Maggie Spritzer sure have these kinds of tempers. Their friends can only live with it.
%% * Visser Three in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}''. All the time.
%% * Vlad "The Impaler" in ''Literature/CountAndCountess''.
* Chauntecleer in ''Literature/TheBookOfTheDunCow'' is a heroic example, his short temper making him VitriolicBestBuds with the self-hating but extremely loyal Mundo Cani Dog, who he uses as a doormat and insults creatively. It also makes him prone to especially bad {{Heroic BSOD}}s. He is also devoted to his wife Pertelote and his three sons.
* Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant, although it tends to be TranquilFury in his case.
%% * Prakash from ''Literature/KillDecision'' has this.

* Stig, of ''Literature/{{Brotherband}}''. He will fly off the handle if you say he's like his father (a dishonored thief), take a dump on his mother, or so much as look at [[FireForgedFriends Hal]] funny. [[spoiler: He manages to tame his temper in order to win brotherband training.]]

* Rose Hathaway from ''Literature/VampireAcademy'', a trait amplified by spirit effects. But even as a 5-year-old, she called her kindergarten teacher a fascist bastard and threw a book at her for making her and Lissa spell out their very long and complicated full given names.
* The titular Pigeon of the ''Literature/PigeonSeries'' of illustrated children's books will often explode into violent, page-filling tantrums whenever he doesn't get what he wants.
* In ''Literature/DoraWilkSeries'', Szelma confesses to having a case of this. She's quick to threaten people with a knife and her father has sent her for therapy because she kept on challenging ''much'' bigger werewolves for duels.
* Cato from ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. He's got a short fuse, and Heaven helps whoever is in his way when it goes off.

* In ''Literature/TheWitchlands'', the Nihar family is infamous for being very quick to anger, especially when it comes to Merik, who often gets furious about the most mundane of slights - though he's working on it.
* Janus from ''Literature/TheShadowCampaigns''. Marcus notes that his most frightening quality is that he can be perfectly affable one second and then turn absolutely furious without warning, and you can never know what will set him off.

* Slightly downplayed, but this is otherwise the case for Father Jerome in ''Literature/SmallerAndSmallerCircles''. In particular, he can't stand [[SurroundedByIdiots being around arrogant and/or willfully ignorant people]], especially in positions of power—Arcinas being a prime example.
* Werewolves, especially younger wolves, are noted to have aggression issues in ''Literature/MercyThompson'' (older wolves tend to be ones who've learned to control it, those who don't typically don't live long enough to become older wolves). Adam is particularly noted as being temperamental. Things that are known to set him off: [[BelligerentSexualTension Mercy]], threatening his pack, threatening Mercy, [[PapaWolf threatening his daughter, Jessie]]. In one novel, he found out that some kids were bullying Jessie. It took the entire pack working together to prevent him from tracking them down and killing all of them.
* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' [[EvilOverlord Dayless the Conqueror]] was an extreme example and would order executions for [[OffingTheAnnoyance the smallest annoyances]]. He still has this when he eventually sets out on his RedemptionQuest, though not to anywhere near the same extent. Throughout the story, he increasingly makes the effort to control his rages and not overreact, but an explosive temper remains his FatalFlaw.
* Juhani in Aleksis Kivi's ''Literature/SevenBrothers'', combined with fondness to DisproportionateRetribution.
* ''Literature/BazilBroketail'':
** Purple-Green is prone to bouts of anger and gets particularly livid when somebody pushes one of his {{Berserk Button}}s.
** Eads is apparently known among the cadre for his hot temperament. In particular, he is absolutely livid when he finds out that Penbar, the local judge in Kohon, tried to have one of his men condemned without his consent and for no good reason. He seems close to drawing his sword and personally killing Penbar, openly calls him a fanatic and a murderer, and even threatens to put him in a military court before ''real'' judges.
* ''Literature/GirlsDontHit'': Joss quickly learns a female detective is hot-tempered and easily pushes her into violence through hitting on her wife.

-->'''Amber''': Killer may seem like he has a short temper, but he is actually extremely calm. The only thing that lights him up is a fight or competition.

* Creator/SeanMalstrom has been known to belittle entire gaming sites in his blog merely because several people in the comments section made offhanded jabs at him. Case in point: a single guy at [=GoNintendo=] named Garfitor [[http://www.gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=118989 says]] "Don't worry Darth Vader, Malstrom, and his followers are still gonna hate ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''." [[http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/who-is-malstrom-and-his-followers/ This is how Malstrom responded]]. Said [=GoNintendo=] guy [[http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=seanmalstrom.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgonintendo.com%2Fviewstory.php%3Fid%3D60983%23comment-218056&sref=http%3A%2F%2Fseanmalstrom.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F02%2Femail-pachter-calls-vitality-sensor-stupid%2F found Malstrom's response funny]]. [[http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/email-pachter-calls-vitality-sensor-stupid/ This is Malstrom's response to THAT comment]].

** [[AntiHero Ragna]] himeself also qualifies due to being [[GrumpyBear constantly grouchy]] and HotBlooded. [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold He has a kinder side to him, though]].

** The cops. Literally, they will arrest anybody if you so much as touch litter, or even ''[[FelonyMisdemeanor walk up to it]]''. And if you're arrested by them, it's ALWAYS prison, no matter what the heck crime you committed. Do anything, and they will [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 unleash their]] rage.

* The ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk[='=]s entire existence basically hinges on this concept, and even if you do manage to get him to a calm state, he often assumes that someone is stealth insulting him or trying to tell him what to do, which either causes him to leave in a huff or just attempt to smash your ass. Or some dumbass will come along and [[InterruptedCooldownHug provoke him again]].

[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_explosive_disorder Intermittent Explosive Disorder]] is the RealLife TropeMaker for this trope.

* Flippy from ''WesternAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' can [[{{Pun}} flip]] between [[NiceGuy an absolute sweetheart]] and an AxCrazy killer the instant something reminds him of war. This is quite unfortunate because a ''lot'' of things remind him of war.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': Normally speaking, Chloe reacts with fury towards anyone or anything she considers an affront to her liege lady Olga. [[AdaptationalJerkass Her counterpart in the remastered version]] magnifies this trait, together with a tendency to antagonize people and rant about how [[HumansAreBastards humans suck]]. Her FantasticRacism towards humans only fuels her fervor. It is quickly [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] to show how problematic her behaviour is -- Chloe comes across as an InsufferableImbecile whose lack of restraint is a source of discord among the GreatEscape party. Her antagonising [[WorldsStrongestMan Kyril]] also veers into BullyingADragon territory, something that Olga and Kyril himself have warned. The latter has explicitly stated that should Chloe be incapable of cooperating, he would "[[DeadlyEuphemism rescind his amnesty]]".