History Main / StunnedSilence

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Referenced by Joey when Marik can't guess the monster on the bottom of his Graveyard due to it being destroyed by Marik's Helpoemer, rather than something he could see.
---> "Oh, I'm sorry! 'Stunned silcence' was not the answer we were looking for!"

Stunned horror can be further divided into stunned by stupidity, stunned by surreality, or stunned by [[OhCrap realization of just how bad the situation is]]. The first two occur when a character says (or does) something so stupid or off the wall other characters are rendered unable to talk or limited to a single word, often a FlatWhat. See also ChirpingCrickets, LoudspeakerTruck, FaceFault, and IdiotCrows. The third, obviously, is a manifestation of OhCrap, often a MassOhCrap.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Referenced by Joey when Marik can't guess the monster on the bottom of his Graveyard due to it being destroyed by Marik's Helpoemer, rather than something he could see.
---> "Oh, I'm sorry! 'Stunned silcence' was not the answer we were looking for!"

* In ''Fanfic/APrizeForThreeEmpires'', Kree gladiator Iva Kann is left speechless when ComicBook/CarolDanvers points out that she is nothing but cannon fodder for her superiors, no matter how good Iva believes she is.

* In "The Mountain Whippoorwill," a poem by Stephen Vincent Benet, Hillbilly Jim gets no applause because the crowd is stunned by his fiddle playing. [[spoiler: He's that good]].

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* ''ComicBook/TheSandman'': After Lucifer's announcement that he's quit, the next three panels show a variety of expressions flit across Dream's face as he tries to process it. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he certainly didn't see that coming.
* ''ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader'': After the fall of Cylo's replacements, Palpatine tries to [[IMeantToDoThat explain it all away as part of his plan]]. Vader is having none of it, though he claims he doesn't care one way or the other.
-->'''Palpatine:''' My true apprentice would frustrate the copies. Eventually, driven by pride and desperation, Cylo would go too far... and then, when he was simply a traitor, we could purge him. Do you understand, Vader?\\
'''Vader:''' I do. If any of Cylo's toys had succeeded, you would be making this speech to them.\\
'''Palpatine:''' "..."

* On ''Radio/HowGreenWasMyCactus'', Pauline Hatful's press conferences invariably end with her saying something of such breathtaking stupidity, that the entire the conference falls silent and the cameras stop clicking. Inevitably followed by Pauline's baffled CatchPhrase "Why is everybody looking at me?".

* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': Doctor Psycho calls Wonder Woman a [[CountryMatters c**t]]. The onlookers gasp, the BGM stops, a dog stops peeing, birds stop flying, and ''the entire Earth stops spinning''. All of that happens again later on when he throws that same word at Giganta, his ex-wife, during a talk show.

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon''. Gobber and most of the kids in dragon training are rendered completely speechless when Hiccup is able to force a Hideous Zippleback to get back into its cage, seemingly by just [[RefugeInAudacity commanding it to do so]].

* Franchise/MonsterVerse fanfiction ''[[Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon Abraxas]]'': Several of Alan Jonah's subordinates go silent from shock for a moment when he shoots one of his own men, [[spoiler:as the latter was blabbing to San and Vivienne about what Jonah did to "the others"]].

* Creator/CoeurAlAran:
** ''Fanfic/{{Relic of the Future}}'': For all of Ozpin's millennia of life, he's still stunned when one of his wayward former-student Raven's portals opens up in his office and deposits a bloody, injured [[FutureBadass Jaune Ashari]] along with the others that were sent to Menagerie to negotiate with the White Fang.
** ''[[Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY White Sheep]]'': Several times.
*** Cinder is speechless when Salem admits in front of her and Jaune that she adopted Cinder in the hopes the two of them would give her grandchildren.
*** During Beacon's initiation, the recruits are rendered speechless when Jaune is plucked out of the air mid-launch by a giant Nevermore, and even Ozpin looks like he's fighting to maintain his stoic demeanor.
*** The entire class goes from cheering to stunned silence when Jaune gets hit by Cardin's mace... and all it does is cause him a ''slight'' Aura reduction and a bruise.

** Mariko, Tejada and a MookLieutenant all respond this way when Alan Jonah shoots one of his {{Mook}}s dead attempting to keep them from spilling more than they just have about the Basement Club's [[spoiler:PlayingWithSyringes]].

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Jaune announces on live television that [[spoiler:he is the Crown Prince of the Grimm, the nation of Atlas has kidnapped his fiance Yang Xiao-Long and she is pregnant with their child, and Jaune will destroy Atlas if she is not freed]]. Cut to the island of Patch, where an entire bar of people are staring at Taiyang Xiao-Long in utter silence.
-->'''Bartender:''' So... a grandfather, huh? Congratulations.\\
'''Taiyang:''' ''[faints]''

* ''Fanfic/ForgingABetterFuture'': [[spoiler:During the trial of the members of Tempest, their defense lawyer claims they are compassionate people who sought to only kill criminals and the corrupt]]. This is met with absolute silence, as everyone stares at him in stunned disbelief.
* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/39011040/chapters/98022285#workskin From Here to Who Knows Where]]'': While being persuaded to go on a road trip, Echo brings up a deceased Boov named Mila, who was erased for making too many mistakes. Hearing her name instantly shuts Oh up for a moment, shocked that Echo would say that so bluntly.

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs. Warhammer 40K]]'': When Yoda shows Hondo's footage of an Imperial death camp on Axum to the Galactic Senate, the entire chamber becomes dead silent as every senator stares in horror at the inhumane tortures and mass killings being inflicted on Axum's non-human populace by the Imperium of Man.

* ''Fanfic/BoldoresandBoomsticks'': Absol takes a second to process the fact that Zwei, a corgi, has given her a daisy.
* In ''Fanfic/TheBoyWithTheMagicNotebook'', Maxwell needs to prove beyond any doubt to Battery and Assault that his notebook is as powerful as he claims. This is their reaction to when he decides to summon a ''Gigantic Flying Holy Chocolate Donut''.
* In "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13414681/1/Maleficent-and-Descendants-A-mother-s-love Maleficent and Descendants: A mother's love]]", when Film/{{Maleficent}} explains her history to [[Film/{{Descendants}} the people of Auradon]], everyone in Auradon is stunned when they see the moment where Aurora called Maleficent her fairy godmother, with Mal in particular being even more surprised when Dude asks if Aurora and Maleficent's mother/daughter dynamic makes Aurora the equivalent of Mal's sister.
* ''Fanfic/ItsNotTheRaptorDNA'':
** In Chapter 24, Dr. Grant becomes pale and silent when Elise solves the intelligence puzzle that demonstrates her human-level intellect. He later quietly thanks her.
** Blue, Delta, and Echo have this reaction in Chapter 25 after Owen attempts to use the ''Velociraptor'' resonating chamber to recreate their vocalizations.
--> Owen pressed his lips when Blue turned back to him. She opened her mouth like she was going to reply, but closed her mouth as she seemed to think, then she opened it again. It was clear she was at a loss for words. Owen caught Echo and Delta sharing a brief glance before quietly staring at him. The silence was deafening to Owen. Dr. Grant finally let out a snorted laugh as he quietly said, "You have stunned your raptors into pure silence. I am truly amazed."
* ''Fanfic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse:'' A pony called Clover Charms just asks "Who?" when Twilight Sparkle mentions Star-Swirl the Bearded. For several seconds, she can only say "[[VisibleSilence ...]]" in response.
* ''Fanfic/RiseOfTheMinisukas'': A shocked silence envelops Nerv's control bridge when a legion of Minisukas suddenly shows up to fight Samshel.

* In ''Fanfic/TruthAndRevelations'', Hermione gets hit by two, first when she realises that Harry Potter has returned to the wizarding world after over two decades of absence (albeit now calling himself Daniel Jackson) and secondly when ‘Harry’ reveals that Lord Voldemort has returned.
* In the ''Series/TwoBrokeGirls'' fic "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10080793/1/Unexpected Unexpected]]", when Max has spent the last few months living with Caroline as their bakery does well, she fully expects Caroline to move out and get her own place. However, when Caroline kisses Max and outright says "I think I'm in love with you", it leaves Max feeling as though her entire worldview has shattered and she's only able to mutter "I-I" before Caroline's further confession gives Max the focus to confirm that she loves Caroline too.
* In the ''Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge'' side volume ''Agents Acquired,'' this is [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Horsemaster Dennet]]'s reaction to the fact that the Inquisitors have acquired the mount known colloquially as the Deth Nug. When he finally manages to speak again, all he can say is, "...it has ''hands''."
* In ''Fanfic/MyHuntsmanAcademia'', Blake is stunned by how saccharine sweet and straightforward Izuku is when he introduces himself to her for the second time.
-->'''Izuku:''' ''[giving a big, quivery smile and holding out a hand to shake]'' Hi, my name's Izuku Midoriya and I'm here to be the best Huntsman I can be. Nice to meet you!\\
'''Blake:''' ''[gaping for a moment before chuckling]'' I can't even ask if you're being real or not. Seeing is believing at this point with you.
* In ''Fanfic/FuturesFreakMeOut'', Shinji becomes completely speechless when Asuka -- who used to be adamant about remaining just friends -- blurts out they should date.
-->"I think we should date."\\
No laughter now. Silence and the sound of a person thinking, if that's a sound at all. I can hear it over the running water, in my state.
* ''Fanfic/RolePlayingEvangelion'': Neither Gendo nor Fuyutsuki are able to talk after watching Shinji reenacting the conversation where he told his father off.

* ''Fanfic/TopOfTheLineEditorBug'': When Zim declares [[ObliviousToHatred his belief]] that Tak is in love with him in an attempt to publicly humiliate her, the whole tournament goes completely quiet and stares at him.

* [[http://www.gamespot.com/big-rigs-over-the-road-racing/reviews/big-rigs-over-the-road-racing-review-6086528/ This]] classic review of ''VideoGame/BigRigsOverTheRoadRacing'' shows Alex Navarro (then working for Gamespot) losing his mind over the game's [[ObviousBeta pre-pre-Alpha]] status. After sitting in front of his computer for two minutes unable to find anything to say about it, he eventually [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere walks out of the GS office]] and flops onto the street as if to say, [[SmiteMeOMightySmiter "Please kill me now."]]

See also DeerInTheHeadlights when someone is stunned by immediate, personal danger, and ShuttingUpNow for a possible follow up. If this happens during a radio broadcast, it can lead to DeadAir.

* When doing a LetsPlay of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'', LetsPlay/{{Markiplier}} is left stunned speechless by [[spoiler:The Bite of '87]]. Mostly because [[spoiler:a combination of the brutality of it all, that a ''kid'' was the victim, and that it was his BigBrotherBully that caused it]].

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': At one point, fast-talking alien scientist Mordin performs a filk of the Major-General's Song from ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance''. Shepard stares at him in absolute stunned disbelief for quite some time. Doubly hilarious because the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series is notorious for its {{Paused Interrupt}}s, and it looks like that's what's happening - until Mordin coughs at the end of the line.

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* [[WebVideo/TheAngryJoeShow Angry Joe's]] review of ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' begins with a full fifteen seconds of him staring dazedly into the camera before fainting. (Yes, it's that good.)
* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd:
** His review of the Power Glove had a rather [[StealthPun stunning]] example of this: while testing out the game ''Top Gun'' and its notoriously finicky landing sequence, he managed to land using the glove. His response? There wasn't one.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', everyone's jaw drops when they find out Bumi's story about developing airbending [[CassandraTruth wasn't a story after all.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': At the end of "Through the Looking Glass Ruins", Amity gives Luz a quick kiss on the cheek spontaneously after Luz helped get her job at the library back, after an entire episode of incredibly smitten behavior. With Luz in Stunned Silence, Amity instantly gets embarrassed.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** In "Suited for Success", when Fluttershy demonstrates her knowledge of sewing, after Rarity keeps asking for her honest opinion on Fluttershy's gala dress, Rarity's reaction is to stare, slack-jawed and speechless, at Fluttershy.
** In "Family Appreciation Day", all of the fillies and colts of the Ponyville schoolhouse, including Apple Bloom, are reduced to several seconds of amazed jaw-dropping silence after Granny Smith finishes her story and reveals she was responsible for the founding of Ponyville.
** In "Twilight Time" when Twilight exits the café, she is greeted by a horde of fillies and colts who stare up at her in jaw-dropped silence for a few moments, prior to squealing excitedly and crowding around her.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', Sticks, Amy, and Tails are stunned silent when Knuckles calls out Amy's comment on being just as good as a soccer player as a boy, surprised at his rather-insightful comment.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': In [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsSparkOfRebellion "Spark of Rebellion"]], this is Ezra and the Wookiees' reaction to seeing Kanan break out his lightsaber during the Kessel rescue.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** [[Recap/StevenUniverseS2E12WeNeedToTalk "We Need to Talk"]]: Greg's reaction when Steven and Connie fuse in front of him.
** [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E2KnowYourFusion "Know Your Fusion"]]: Garnet and Pearl do this when [[spoiler:Steven and Amethyst fuse.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'', the Gophers are struck speechless when the RCMP comes for Izzy.

-->'''Uncle''': [[CatchPhrase I must do research]]--\\
'''Tohru''': Ah, no need, Sensei. [[SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat I believe no Finishing Charm was added to the original duplication spell--that is why it continues to repeat.]]\\
''(Uncle stares at Tohru as if he has three heads)''\\
'''Tohru''': I, uh...[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome did some reading...during the long flight.]]

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* Mission Control in ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'' after Lovell reports that "we are venting something into space" and everyone realizes just how bad the situation is.

-->'''Steve:''' [[spoiler:...Bucky]]?
-->'''The Winter Soldier:''' [[spoiler:Who the hell is Bucky]]?

* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'': "The Ring must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm whence it came. *{{beat}}* One of you must do this." It’s almost jarring ''not'' to hear crickets in the silence that follows, as the camera pans out to observe that no one in the council is moving a muscle. Boromir finally breaks the silence with the [[MemeticMutation now-meme-tastic]] line: “One does not simply WalkIntoMordor."

--> '''Hyde (imitating Jackie):''' "Michael, call me at 8:00!"
--> '''Eric (also imitating Jackie):''' "Michael, do your Chico impression!"
--> '''Fez (also imitating Jackie):''' "Michael, rub oil on my thighs, while I spank you."
--> (Kelso, Hyde, and Eric are visibly disturbed in silent stares by what Fez just said. Now, back to Fez.)
--> '''Fez ([[DidISayThatOutLoud uncomfortable]]):''' ...Please someone else talk now.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', when Terry calls Ra's al Ghul a psychopath, which results in a horrified stare by Talia [[spoiler:-- which is a hint that Ra's al Ghul had possessed Talia's body and would have ''every reason'' to be horrified at the notion that people see him as a psychopath. If Terry called Ra's al Ghul in front of the ''real'' Talia, she would have given him a DeathGlare and more due to Talia's loyalty to Ra's al Ghul]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In "Krabby Land" following Mr. Krabs' cheap presentation of Krabby the Clown (just dressing as a clown for no more than ten seconds and going into his office), we are treated to a shot of [=SpongeBob=] and all the children in silent [[JawDrop jaw-dropping shock]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS6E3Fugitive "Fugitive"]], several Kaminoans and droids have silent OhCrap reactions when [[OneManArmy Fives]] beats up four other clones and a Kaminoan in the space of a minute after learning he's in danger of LaserGuidedAmnesia. They don't even try to stop him when he runs off.

** Speaking of [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsSparkOfRebellion "Spark of Rebellion"]] — everyone whose reaction we see gets this trope when Kanan breaks out his lightsaber during the Kessel rescue, and Agent Kallus and the stormtroopers specifically get the "horror" variant.
** [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS2E03AlwaysTwoThereAre "Always Two There Are"]]: Kanan's reaction at the end to learning of the existence of two more Inquisitors.
** [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E19ZeroHour "Zero]] [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E20ZeroHourPartII Hour"]]: [[spoiler:Kallus']] reaction when [[MagnificentBastard Grand Admiral Thrawn]] reveals he knows he's TheMole. Ultimately, the only comeback [[spoiler:Kallus]] can come up with is "{{You talk too much}}!"
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In [[WholeEpisodeFlashback "The Answer"]], when Ruby and Sapphire accidentally fuse into Garnet for the first time, the Homeward Gems in their presence do this, as a fusion between two different types of Gems had never been done and is strictly taboo.

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-->'''Yang''': Look, we're supposed to be in this together! You can trust us! We're not going to turn our backs on you.\\
'''Ozpin''': Do you really think [[spoiler:Leo]] was the first?! That he didn't say those exact same words to me?!

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In his review of the cheesy 80s movie ''Ragewar'', [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Dr. Insano]] gets a look that combines annoyance with weariness when he learns that this movie is the origin of the phrase "[[Series/MythBusters I reject your reality and substitute my own]]."

* The page picture comes from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode [[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheBeach "The Beach"]], as the response to Azula's idea of appropriate romantic dialogue with a guy she just met at a party.

-->'''Killface''': Wendell, you've outdone yourself!\\
'''Wendell''': Well, now I know how Diego Rivera must have felt when he was banging Frida Kahlo!\\

'''Wendell''': Tea-baggin' the unibrow.\\
''[Extended {{beat}}]''
* In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', this is Mabel's reaction to her first Guy of the Week Norman being [[spoiler:five gnomes stacked up on each other.]] Notably, this is the ''only'' time in the series we see Mabel at a complete loss for words.

** In "Bart vs. Thanksgiving", officers Eddie and Lou interview Homer and Marge when they learn that Bart ran away, and they are wide-eyed and speechless when [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone an embarrassed Marge confesses that]] [[MomentOfWeakness she told him he "ruined Thanksgiving"]].
** And let's not forget when Krusty hosted the "[[FunWithAcronyms Krusty Komedy Klassic]]" at the Apollo Theater. Um, oops...
** This was also Bart and Homer's reactions to seeing what ''Film/PaintYourWagon'' was really about.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'': The audience, especially Jackie and Marco, when Star publicly confesses her feelings to [[spoiler:Marco]]. Except for Pony Head, who brags that she "called it".
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': In [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS2E16ShroudOfDarkness "Shroud of Darkness"]], Kanan is absolutely stunned to realize [[spoiler:he was just [[{{Knighting}} knighted]] by ''the Grand Inquisitor's ghost''.]]

* When [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] reviewed ''ComicBook/{{Cable}} #1'', he mentioned a panel showing part of the World Trade Center blown up. His face showed that HarsherInHindsight didn't even begin to cover it.

* In the "Paramount Mountain Expedition" short "Ice Bridge" from Creator/CBSAllAccess, [[Series/StarTrekDiscovery Michael Burnham]] tells her little group they need to lose some weight. All goes fine until [[Series/TheGoodFight Diane Lockhart]] tells someone he might need to remove his shirt. [[Series/Reno911 Lt. Dangle]] jumps in and happily decides to do so, prompting Burnham to give a look that says "...uhhh..."

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': There is an anecdote about ''Film/ANewHope'' (then known simply as ''Star Wars'') in America. When people saw the first spaceship come into view, they cheered. When they saw the second one (the Imperial Star Destroyer, which never seemed to end in that shot), they all went silent.