History Main / HeadDesk

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}} After Story'', Nagisa's 20th birthday is also her first time drinking sake (the legal age for drinking in Japan is 20). She gets extremely drunk off just one bowl/cup and turns into a ClingyJealousGirl. HilarityEnsues, and when Sanae and Akio start messing with him too, Tomoya does a fast headdesk.
* ''[[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc Danganronpa: The Animation]]'': Monokuma bangs his head against his desk and his chalkboard after Makoto is saved from being executed by [[spoiler:Chihiro's AI Alter Ego]].

* ''Franchise/OnePiece'' uses this trope with Nami after she discovers that most of the money she had saved was spent on a party.

[[AC:''Franchise/HarryPotter'']]

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13563881/88/Harry-Potter-the-Mutant-Obscurus-Gamer Harry Potter the Mutant Obscurus Gamer]]'' (''Franchise/HarryPotter'' & Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse): During the events of ''Film/IronMan2'', Harry has previously viewed Natasha's file, even if not met her personally, he avoids blowing her cover, but his hints are more like bludgeon blows. He says she "Looks like a [[ExactWords Professional with killer thighs]], killer legs, killer arms, killer face and a killer body". Tony does not notice, but does Head Desk when her cover is uncovered. She recorded it and Fury plans on making the look on Stark's face his screensaver.

[[AC:''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'']]

[[AC:''Franchise/NeonGenesisEvangelion'']]

[[AC:''Franchise/OnePiece'']]

[[AC:''Franchise/{{RWBY}}'']]

* Not really done to express annoyance, but ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' has Isaac come across a guy randomly doing this in a part of the ''USG Ishimura''. The guy is just standing in the hallway beating his head against a wall, with more blood coming out with every hit. Eventually, he hits his head against it hard enough that ''it kills him''. And when his corpse is on the ground you can see that there was ''nothing'' left inside him, all of his intestines had apparently been ripped out.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'':
** Trevor is reduced to banging his head into a wooden pallet when he realizes that [[spoiler:the government's top-secret, ultra-precious "cargo" he just stole is '''A NUCLEAR BOMB''', and as a result, he cannot sell the payload without getting the government on his ass]].
** In ''Grand Theft Auto Online'', Trevor once again bangs his head against something, this time a tree. [[spoiler:After completing his Heists -- which involves stealing drugs or drug-making materials from various factions around San Andreas -- Trevor meets with his buyer... who turns out to be an undercover government agent. Trevor is forced to flee the sting and, after getting to safety, bangs his head off a tree while sobbing at the failure of his plans.]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
** Manfred von Karma does this in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', while [[spoiler:ranting about how Edgeworth and his father gave him a scar on his shoulder and a penalty on his record, respectively, and vowing to bury Edgeworth with his own hands]].
** Gumshoe pulls a wall bang (off screen) in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations Trials and Tribulations]]'' when Phoenix and Maya tell him that Maggey hates him for betraying her.
** PlayedForDrama in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]''. [[spoiler:When Apollo finds out that Dhurke, his adopted father who saved his life several times over, has died, he goes into a HeroicBSOD and slams his head into the defense bench in despair.]]
* In ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', Hisao does this late in Rin's route after they have an argument, blaming himself for things going wrong.
%%* The PlayerCharacter in ''VisualNovel/PlanetsTheLifeOfNormalcyHasEnded'' indulges in this with a brick wall, and ends up bleeding. (Administrivia/ZeroContextExample; why are they doing it?)
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[[folder:Webcomics]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales|1987}}'' episode "[[Recap/DuckTalesS1E12TopDuck Top Duck]]", Launchpad is upset over crashing during an air show and begins banging his head on his plane, [[WellDoneSonGuy stopping only to lament his mother and father seeing him do it]]. Then Louie adds that his sister also saw it. Launchpad goes back to head-banging and Dewey gives Louie a DopeSlap.

* Miss Piggy does this to her office desk in ''Film/TheMuppets2011''.
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' (in the film) I can't ''believe'' I fell for [[TotemPoleTrench Muppet Man]]!
-->(in the trailer) Ow, that hurt.

* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5353683/10/The-Girl-Who-Loved The Girl Who Loved]]'' (''Franchise/HarryPotter'' & ''Franchise/SailorMoon''): One of the Sailor Scouts makes a suggestive remark involving Harry and Sailor Pluto, and he tries to beat the resulting images out of his head with the aid of a nearby table, which breaks partway through and has to be magically repaired.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7665632/25/Potter-s-Protector Potter's Protector]]'' (''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' & ''Franchise/HarryPotter''): Harry bangs his head on a table after his name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13563881/88/Harry-Potter-the-Mutant-Obscurus-Gamer Harry Potter the Mutant Obscurus Gamer]]'' (''Franchise/HarryPotter'' & Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse): During the events of ''Film/IronMan2'', Harry has previously viewed Natasha's file, even if not met her personally, he avoids blowing her cover, but his hints are more like blugen blows. He says she "Looks like a [[ExactWords Professional with killer thighs]], killer legs, killer arms, killer face and a killer body". Tony does not notice, but does Head Desk when her cover is uncovered. She recorded it and Fury plans on making the look on Stark's face his screensaver.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7832676/3/Petunia-s-Boys Petunia's Boys]]'': Lucius bangs his head on a table after realizing that there are so many Muggles that it would take the entire world's magical population several centuries to kill them all off.

* In one of the rare instances where Creator/LewisLovhaug is on camera for ''WebVideo/HistoryOfPowerRangers'' is during the video for ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', with footage of his banging his head against a wall used to vent his feelings of Dax's idiocy at not stopping Miratrix and later [[WTHCastingAgency his reaction to Alpha 6]] not being voiced by Alpha 5's voice actor Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz or even 6's earlier voice actresses Caterina Lucciani or Creator/WendeeLee.

* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'': Stitch does this when he's in the pound, and actually knocks a brick out of place because of his power.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/IceAge]]'s DistantEpilogue, Scrat's reaction to his acorn washing out to sea after being trapped in an ice block with it for 20,000 years is to rage so hard he bursts out of the remaining ice, run for the nearest solid object, and start banging his head against it. Said object turns out to be a coconut tree when the banging causes one to fall right next to him.

* The ending of ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2000'' sees ComicBook/DoctorOctopus start banging his head against the bars of his cell while Rhino erroneously gloats about beating ComicBook/{{Mysterio}}, [[ComicBook/MacGargan Scorpion]], and a bank robber at Go Fish. One of the things that show that ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2EnterElectro'' is an ImmediateSequel is that Ock is ''still'' doing this when Hammerhead and Shocker, in the cell across from them with Electro, ask Ock and ''his'' cellmates if they know Go Fish.

This is when a character expresses their overwhelming frustration by banging their head (often repeatedly) against something nearby. Desks and walls are the most prevalent targets, but other hard surfaces or obj22222ects — such as telephone poles, nearby appliances, or trees — are also acceptable.

* In ''Webcomic/TehGladiators'', this is OnlySaneMan Gorrok's second favorite method (behind {{Facepalm}}) of expressing his disgust/despair with his companions' idiotic antics.

** Upgrades to slamming his head against a wall in [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS3E27 his review of]] ''Film/TheRoom2003'', in response to the scene where Mark is still surprised at being invited by Lisa to cheat on her with Johnny for the ''fourth'' time.

** Upgrades to slamming his head against a wall in [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS3E27 his review of]] ''Film/TheRoom'', in response to the scene where Mark is still surprised at being invited by Lisa to cheat on her with Johnny for the ''fourth'' time.

This is when a character expresses their overwhelming frustration by banging their head (often repeatedly) against something nearby. Desks and walls are the most prevalent targets, but other hard surfaces or objects — such as telephone poles, nearby appliances, or trees — are also acceptable.

* In ''Fanfic/MyDreamIsYours'', Jamie Jam sets up a card table and a dollhouse with figurines in an attempt to teach Ohlm what a KnockKnockJoke is by talking about a scenario where someone is coming for a visit, knocks on the door, and the two people need to answer the door and let the visitor in. Ohlm asks why the people taking residence in the home can't just look through the peephole to see who it is, and Jamie begins throwing her head against the table repeatedly.
--> '''Ohlm:''' Um, ma'am? You're gonna hurt your head if you keep doing that... ''[chews and swallows a bite of his apple]'' Probably not doing the table much good either...

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7832676/3/Petunia-s-Boys Petunia's Boys]]'' Lucius bangs his head on a table after realizing that there are so many Muggles that it would take the entire world's magical population several centuries to kill them all off.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4081016/2/The-Poker-Game The Poker Game]]'' Harry bangs his head on a table every time a new girl is added to his UnwantedHarem.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7665632/25/Potter-s-Protector Potter's Protector]]'' Harry bangs his head on a table after his name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.
* The fic ''Fanfic/{{Progress}}'' has Princess Luna doing this in one chapter. She makes a BadassBoast to a pair of monsters threatening the Cutie Mark Crusaders, only to be frustrated immensely when neither of them recognize her.
-->Both tyrannosaur and megaprimate were treated to the rare sight of a deity in wrath beating her head against the wall.
* ''Fanfic/ProjectFreelancerPhaseOneGenesis'' features [[DrJerk Dr. Killian's]] reaction when he's told that [[WebAnimation/RedVsBlue the Director]] is bringing in more agents after a dangerous mission:
-->Eight ''thump'' more ''thump'' medicals ''thump'' for ''thump'' eight ''thump'' more ''thump'' Freelancers ''thumpthumpthumpthump''.
* ''Fanfic/RiseOfTheMinisukas'': Maya bangs her head against her desk when her simple "How are you doing" question for Ayanami, who is supposed to be technically the most stable pilot, is answered with "I am trying to figure out where to get a banana cream pie and ten gallons of olive oil."

* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'':
** In Chapter 23, Cross does this after Soundbite gives the Teenage Dugong Warrior Squad their name.
** In Chapter 28, Cross does this after Isaiah, perching on Pierre's head while the latter is in his hybrid form, says "[[Advertising/TheManYourManCouldSmellLike I'm on a horse.]]"
** In Chapter 33, Vice Admiral Jonathan does this when he realizes the full extent of the chaos the Straw Hat Pirates are capable of causing.
** Chapter 37 has Vivi doing this after [[TestosteronePoisoning Boss]] successfully negotiates with Franky by [[PecFlex flexing]].
** In Chapter 42, when Sengoku hears that Admiral Kizaru (with the inadvertent help of Nami) has ended up refracting himself out of the fight, he does this. While in his Buddha form. ''Denting the Gates of Justice in the process.''
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10399961/14/Time-Turned-Back Time Turned Back]]'' Gabriel bangs his head on a desk after discovering that magic has declared him the new Heir of Slytherin.

* In ''Fanfic/WhenInDoubtObliviate'' during an argument with Remus about why Wormtail was made Secret Keeper instead of him, Sirius bangs his head against the wall of his room in St. Mungo's.
-->'''Remus:''' Oh, that will convince them that you don't have any brain damage...

* In one segment of the ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' fic ''Fanfic/TwoTwentyOneB'', Inspector Lestrade becomes interested in the American candy Watson is eating to keep alert on a stake-out. Watson hands him a Tootsie Roll, describing it as a toffee-like chocolate, and Holmes debates the merits of smacking his own head against the nearby wall.
* A frequent occurrence in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' Fanfiction. It has been rationalized that the use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu ("Kage Bunshin no Jutsu") [[{{Fanon}} can defeat a Kage's greatest enemy: paperwork]]. When someone (usually Naruto) points this out to the Third Hokage (or any Kage for that matter), the common reaction is for him to bash his head on his desk repeatedly while muttering "stupid" every single time, usually because he's known that jutsu for ''decades'' and never realized that he could use it for paperwork.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9750991/69/Angry-Harry-and-the-Seven Angry Harry and the Seven]]'', it's Valentine's Day, so Harry recites poetry and gives a large bouquet of roses and baby's breath to his betrothed Daphne right in front of everybody in the Great Hall, making the rest of the boys with girlfriends look like unromantic clods in comparison. A seventh-year Hufflepuff who recognizes that he's been outshone lightly bangs his forehead on the tabletop a few times. And then Blaise publicly presents his girlfriend Tracey with a carnation and a pretty necklace and helps her put the necklace on, again making the rest of the boys with girlfriends look like unromantic clods in comparison. The poor Hufflepuff, seeing he's been outshone again, resumes banging his forehead on the tabletop.
* ''Fanfic/AnythingForFamily'': Nao bangs her head on the wall in guilt, scolding herself for losing four of her siblings.
* ''Fanfic/ABriefHistoryOfEquestria'' describes an incident during the unicorn migration to what would eventually become Equestria. Exasperated by the bickering and delays of the aristocracy, Princess Platinum began going up to trees and tapping on them. When questioned, she did not explain her reason until she had found a suitably dense tree, which she began smacking her head against in frustration. On the plus side, they did manage to get some fruit for the caravan.
* ''[[Fanfic/MyLittleAlicorn Bringing Up Blueblood]]'':
-->Blueblood barely resisted the urge to slam his face into the desk. He could tell exactly what most of his day would be filled with.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11420524/1/Choices-Part-I Choices - Part I]]'', Bill bangs his head on a desk after finding out that Ron gave a highly insulting interview about Veela, which gets him killed by Fleur's angry relatives.
* In ''Fanfic/DestinyIsAHazyThing'', Idate starts slamming his head against a pillar when Sasuke wastes time challenging Rock Lee to a fight, especially since Idate knows that Lee is out of his league.
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': This trope is Misato's reaction to finding out [[TooMuchInformation more than she ever wanted to know]] about Ritsuko and Commander Ikari's sex life.
* Dipper starts hitting his head against a tree in ''Fanfic/FakingIt'' when Bill admits that even he has no idea what kind of cover story Dipper can give to get [[spoiler:Ford to stop wondering how his nephew managed to put most of the town to sleep, at least unintentionally]].
-->'''Bill:''' I don't think ritual sacrifice, or soul destruction, or eating a still-beating human heart could be written off as an "accident".
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5353683/10/The-Girl-Who-Loved The Girl Who Loved]]'' one of the Sailor Scouts makes a suggestive remark involving Harry and Sailor Pluto, and he tries to beat the resulting images out of his head with the aid of a nearby table, which breaks partway through and has to be magically repaired.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11898648/6/Harry-Potter-and-the-Rune-Stone-Path Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path]]'' Professor Babbling bangs her head on a table after hearing that Ron decided to fly his father's car to Hogwarts.
* In [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13563881/88/Harry-Potter-the-Mutant-Obscurus-Gamer Harry Potter the Mutant Obscurus Gamer]] This Harry Potter x [=MCU=] fanfic, During the events of Film/IronMan2, Harry has previously viewed Natasha's file, even if not met her personally, he avoids blowing her cover, but his hints are more like blugen blows. He says she "Looks like a [[ExactWords Professional with killer thighs]], killer legs, killer arms, killer face and a killer body". Tony does not notice, but does Head Desk when her cover is uncovered. She recorded it and Fury plans on making the look on Stark's face his screensaver.
* In ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'', Chloe gets into this after spending three days unable to write a story, with her echoing Hiro Hamada below.

* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3535620/7/Insane-Asylum-Escapees Insane Asylum Escapees]]'' has Harry ([[spoiler:who doesn't believe in magic]]) walk out into the dragon arena shirtless with a lawn chair and a tanning mirror, as he thinks the dragons are iguanas on steroids. Cue Remus hitting his head on a book going "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." with "He's gonna die." thrown in every once in a while.

* Shining Armor from the ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'' develops a habit of doing this in frustration at the [[WeirdnessMagnet bizarre situations he keeps finding himself in]].

[-[[caption-width-right:227:When a {{Facepalm}} just isn't enough.]]-]

* Played for laughs in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' at the end of ''Shadowbringers''' Patch 5.3 story. [[spoiler:The Scions spent InUniverse years in The First, an alternate world from the Source, while their friend, [[PlayerCharacter the Warrior of Light]], could teleport freely. It's a few days after they finally recover getting back into their bodies that Alisaie smacks her head on the table and is utterly depressed that Thancred, Urianger, and Y'Shtola have the same gear they had from their time on the First, but now in the Source, while she's languished for years as a {{red mage}}.]]

** Trevor is reduced to banging his head into a wooden pallet when he realizes that [[spoiler:the government's top-secret, ultra-precious "cargo" he just stole is '''A FUCKING NUKE''', and as a result, he cannot sell the payload without getting the government on his ass]].

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10399961/14/Time-Turned-Back Time Turned Back]]'' Harry bangs his head on a desk after discovering that magic has declared him the new Heir of Slytherin.

* Frequently applied by ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'''s Yuuta, who is prone to frequently striking his head on the wall whenever he remembers another one of his past rants as a very deluded teen.
* Kyon of ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' can be seen doing this in the [[AnimeThemeSong opening theme song]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMwo8PbjoE "Bouken Desho Desho,"]] cementing his [[DeadpanSnarker personality]] and his [[OnlySaneMan role]] in the [[TrueCompanions SOS Brigade]].

* Used quite often by Eita from the anime version of ''LightNovel/{{Oreshura}}'' whenever Masuzu reads a passage from his secret notebook that she acquired.

* ''Film/{{Hereditary}}'': PlayedForHorror when [[spoiler:Peter gets possessed in class and smashes his face into his desk twice with enough force to break his nose]].

-->'''Miss Piggy:''' I can't ''believe'' I fell for [[TotemPoleTrench Muppet Man]]!