History Main / KillingIntent

* ''Webcomic/TheGamer'': PlayedForLaughs. Jee-Han gains the ability to sense killing intent, which manifests (like all his other powers) [[RPGMechanicsVerse with a system popup]]. He most often gets these popups when he's hanging out with a girl, [[ClingyJealousGirl and one of the other girls sees them together]].

** And then there's [[spoiler:True Assassin's]] [[StealthExpert Presence Concealment]] skill, which renders him virtually impossible to find, unless he's preparing to attack a target in which case his own massive Killing Intent betrays him and makes he much easier to find. Though, in all fairness, when this time comes it generally is already too late.

* In ''Film/{{Hero}}'', [[ProperlyParanoid the emperor]] keeps a number of candles between himself and any visitors allowed to come within a hundred paces, claiming that the flames are disturbed by "murderous intent" (all of them blowing towards the emperor when Nameless is thinking of killing him, and then blowing in random directions when his resolve wavers). No sort of magical explanation is given for this, and Nameless' unquestioning acceptance of it suggests that he is familiar with the idea, presumably making it a variation of this trope, rather than a separate sort of DetectEvil magic.

* Reinhard presence from ''VisualNovel/DiesIrae'' is so intense and overwhelming that, even when he appears as a mere hologram-like shade of himself, he makes people like Bey and Schreiber, who have never experienced fear in their lives, shake at their knees. When he first appears in person like this in the common route, both Ren and Kei freeze up like someone hit an off-switch on them.

* In the Franchise/{{Nasuverse}}, skilled fighters can do this. In the ''Unlimited Blade Works'' route of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' Shirou is able to sense that he is being followed by [[TheSnarkKnight Archer]] because he is taunting Shirou with his killing intent. When Shirou calls him out on it he is impressed that such an [[IneptMage unskilled magus]] could detect it. Shirou also uses Archer's killing intent to tell from where he is launching his [[TrickArrow attack]] against Berserker during their fight in the graveyard, and notes that [[spoiler:it's directed at more than ''just'' Berserker]].
** And then there's [[spoiler:True Assassin's]] [[StealthExpert Presence Concealment]] skill, which renders him virtually impossible to find, unless he's preparing to attack a target in which case his own massive Killing Intent betrays him and makes he much easier to find. Though, in all fairness, when this time comes it generally is already too late.
* [[BloodKnight Angela]] from ''VisualNovel/PrincessWaltz'' is right there with with the likes of [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Kenpachi]] in terms of bloodlust. In many occasion her glare has caused hardened warriors to flinch and even think that they were vomiting blood after being ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice just from being 'hit' by it.

* In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', Keiichi refers to being able to feel (or not feel) "murderous intent" and sometimes uses that to decide if someone is trustworthy.

While having some degree of Killing Intent is normally [[TeachHimAnger required to fight effectively]], sometimes a character will be able to attack without exuding any Killing Intent at all (through LackOfEmpathy, [[EmotionSuppression controlling]] their [[NervesOfSteel emotions]] or even [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} spacing out while fighting]]), making them an [[ConfusionFu unpredictable combatant]] or even a HeroKiller.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'', Rattlesnake Jake blows open Rango's FakeUltimateHero act by daring him to shoot point blank with a revolver, and observing Rango's terrified expression -- As Jake puts it, "You got killer in your eyes, son? I don't see it." [[spoiler:In the final confrontation, after plenty of CharacterDevelopment, Rango has Jake at gunpoint, and while the rattlesnake attempts to call it a bluff, he balks after getting a look at Rango's unflinching KubrikStare.]]

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* ''Anime/DragonballSuper'': Beerus says that he has a refined ability to detect a person's killing intent (which is distinct from ki in general), as part of his powerset as the God of Destruction. [[spoiler:He uses this to judge that Zamasu truly does intend to kill his mentor Gowasu, though he doesn't take the killing intent as proof and confirms his suspicions before taking action.]]

* In the live-action adaptation of ''Film/RurouniKenshin'', Kendall-e can stop people from breathing by looking into their eyes. He explicitly states that [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower it's not supernatural]], despite the fact that it can supposedly only be broken by killing Kendall-e.

Particularly common in Eastern works is the idea that when someone intends to inflict pain or death, their "Killing Intent" can be felt as a slight pressure or chill, even to people unaware of their presence. The effect is amplified if you look into their eyes, or if they want to hurt ''you'' in particular. Trained and vigilant warriors generally radiate low levels of Killing Intent at all times, and anyone who constantly radiates ''high'' levels of Killing Intent is either evil or [[BloodKnight obsessed with combat]] (and may [[NotSoDifferent feel kinship towards other people who possess it]]). There's generally a noticeable difference between "hot-blooded" and "cold-blooded" Killing Intent too. Sometimes this is considered a form of {{Ki|Manipulation}}, or has an effect on Ki.

** At one point in the Chimera Ant arc, Knov sneaks into the enemy base, only to catch a glimpse of a malevolent aura pouring out from deeper within. He mistakenly thinks it's Neferpitou's aura, when it's actually Shiapouf's. Nonetheless, he's so terrified just by seeing how malicious that aura is that he suffers a breakdown over the fear of what torture the Chimera Ants could subject him to if they captured him.

Compare DetectEvil and AllergicToEvil, which can overlap with this trope if a character's sensitivity to Killing Intent is enhanced by supernatural means. Can be used as a justification for SpiderSense, TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne, and KungFuClairvoyance. See also DeathGlare, KiManipulation and MagicalSensoryEffect.

* In ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}, Cassandra seeks out Lady Shiva to request her aid. Before she even knows Shiva is there, Cassandra feels a "wind like a thousand knives" so cold that it affect her, despite her saying that she's [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower never really felt cold before]].

* In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', while chatting with Otacon, [[VideoGame/MetalGear Snake]] mentions [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Ganondorf]] is "giving off a murderous vibe." He's also uneasy with trying to fight him - "even getting close to him makes my skin crawl."

* Nico di Angelo demonstrates a ''weaponized'' version of this in the last book of Heroes of Olympus. When someone threatens to have one of his friends executed, he strips him of his identity and sends him to the Fields of Punishment through willpower alone.