History Main / ThisMeansWar

* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarRagnarok'', Kratos is understandably hesitant to start [[{{Gotterdammerung}} the eponymous conflict]], considering [[VideoGame/GodOfWarIII the last time he went to war against gods]] [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt he destroyed Greece.]] However, [[ThisIsUnforgivable this changes]] when [[spoiler:[[BigBad Odin]] kills Brok after the latter [[SpottingTheThread sees through his "Tyr" disguise]]]]: Kratos and his friends start gathering allies and making preparations and, eventually, unleash a combined army of light elves, dark elves, Hel-Walkers and Valkyries upon Asgard, with a little last-minute assistance from Angrboda, [[CanisMajor Fenrir]], Sindri, [[TheGreatSerpent Jörmungandr]] and [[spoiler:[[BeastOfTheApocalypse Ragnarök]] itself]], all of them [[{{pun}} helbent]] on ending [[TheCaligula Odin's]] tyranny over the Nine Realms.

* Layla, one of the characters in the superhero film ''Film/SkyHigh2005'', won't use her powers except in self-defense, which means she gets relegated to the Sidekick track, constantly teased, and thought of as a complete wimp. Then one of the bad guys, convinced that their side is about to be victorious and not being able to resist, slaps her. [[spoiler:"Big. Mistake."]]

** A little over a century before the events of the series, the [[TheCaligula Elf King]] kidnapped and [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil raped]] a [[SemiDivine god-kin]] of the [[TheTheocracy Slane Theocracy]], who was rescued by the [[EliteArmy Black Scripture]] before she could give birth. While the Slane Theocracy have always been [[FantasticRacism human supremacists]] and relationships with the Elf Country had always been tense as a result, the incident was the final straw for the Theocracy, who have been engaged with the elves in a war of extermination ever since.

** A much more dramatic example, without any political machinations involved, takes place at the end of Volume 16, when [[spoiler:Ainz finally learns that it was the [[TheTheocracy Slane Theocracy]] who [[MoreThanMindControl brainwashed Shalltear]] in Volume 3. He immediately orders his followers to drop everything they are doing and to prepare his forces for war: ''they are going to'' '''''[[RoaringRampageOfRevenge annihilate]]''''' ''the Slane Theocracy''.]]

* In the ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'' game ''Abe Lincoln Must Die!'', The Soda Poppers, a triplet of {{Former Child Star}}s, have become governors of Dakota. You are supposed to rile up their latent SiblingRivalry until:
-->'''Specs:''' Of course you realise. This means war!\\
'''Peepers:''' WAR!\\
'''Whizzer:''' WAR!
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', King Varian after the Wrathgate incident, and the subsequent Battle for the Undercity.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', Meredith's decision to issue the right of annulment on the Kirkwall Circle, despite having nothing to do with [[spoiler: Anders' destruction of the Chantry]] causes the Mages in Kirkwall to finally have enough, with their rebellion either supported or quashed by Hawke. The events at Kirkwall later ripple across the face of Thedas and lead to other Circles rising up as a result, leading to the [[PretextForWar outbreak of open war]], three years later.
* In ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'', Monica Hughes almost says this (her exact words are "this is war") when Killbane has the Hughes bridge destroyed.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' the Warrior of Light's story is filled with enough trauma to send most people over the deepend 10 times over (and it's noted at various points) but the Warrior of Light becomes notibly upset and enraged upon the death of [[spoiler:Haurchefaunt, one of their closest friends, who dies to protect them]]. The responses the player can choose during cutscenes start to become noticeably more violent and angry in tone after this, calling for the killer's heart.
* In ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'', Nulgath declares war on his former apprentice, Dage the Lich (who would later rename himself Dage the Evil) after the latter has betrayed the Nulgath Nation, started making his own army (later known as the Undead Legion), and slain the Commandant who was loyal to the former and converted his soul to his cause.

** When the newspapers report that the World Government has chosen to publicly execute Portgaz D. Ace, a MassOhCrap ensues. Ace's captain, Whitebeard, is infamous for avenging his crew mates, and "Red Flag" X. Drake realizes that the Government's decision is effectively declaring war on the most powerful pirate alive.

* ''Anime/ReadOrDie'': The leader of the I-jin has revealed himself, announced his ApocalypseHow and revealed [[spoiler:Nancy is Mata Hari and spying for them]]. In response, Gentleman informs Joker over the PA that Operation Manuscript Retrieval is suspended...
-->'''Joker:''' British Library Special Engineer Force, suspend Operation Manuscript Retrieval immediately. As of now, we begin "Operation Exterminate I-Jin Corps!" ''(cheers)''
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Luffy and the crew (mostly Sogeking) declare war on the World Government by not only shooting the Government Flag, but burning it as well. As it stands atop a major governmental base. Being watched by hundreds of marines. All to send a message to [[BrokenBird Robin]] that they would ''[[YouAreWorthHell never]]'' [[YouAreWorthHell abandon her]].
** When the newspapers report that the World Government has chosen to publicly execute Portgaz D. Ace, a MassOhCrap ensues. Ace's captain, Whitebeard, is infamous for avenging his crew mates, and "Red Flag" X. Drake realizes that the Government's decision is effectively declaring war on the most powerful pirate alive.
** Later, Admiral Kizaru is fighting with four of the most powerful rookie pirates in the world. He's clearly toying with them, but doesn't go for the finishing blow. Then one of them hits him with a surprise attack that cuts him in half and blows the pieces to smithereens. After he pulls himself back together, he's clearly had enough. He then declares the fight is over and dispatches them all in a matter of seconds.
** Luffy has now declared war on [[spoiler: one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom.]]
** In the Wano Arc, when the raid on Onigashima begins in full, Luffy declares his intention to take down both Kaido, Big Mom and Orochi.
** The destruction of Ohara via [[ItsTheOnlyWayToBeSure Buster Call]] is revealed to have been this for Dragon, who became disgusted that the World Government would take such [[DisproportionateRetribution extreme measures]] against a bunch of archaeologists who simply wanted to learn the true history of [[SuppressedHistory the Void Century.]] He went on to found the [[LaResistance Revolutionary Army]] months later with the express purpose of declaring war against the World Government.

* Volume 3 of ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' has [[{{Ghostapo}} Millenium]] essentially declare war on Hellsing when they openly send one of their operatives, backed up by troops from the local law enforcement, to attack Alucard and Seras, live on national television no less. Just in case they didn't get the message, Volume 4 has them send a messanger to Hellsing headquarters with a live link to the Major, so that he can pretty much say "Let's fight!".
* The homunculi of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' caused major problems for themselves because of this trope. Before [[spoiler:Maes Hughes' death]], Mustang knew pretty much nothing about the homunculi and consequently was not involved in trying to stop their evil schemes. The moment one of them [[spoiler:killed Hughes]], he quietly went into a sort of chronic HeroicBSOD mode and became such a danger to them that Lust finally decided [[spoiler:he wasn't worth it as a sacrifice and simply tried to kill him]].
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Tobi declares war on the entire ninja world after the Kages' refusal to hand over Naruto and Bee, starting the fourth great ninja war.

* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** In Part 2 (''Battle Tendency''), the vampire [[spoiler:Straizo]] claims to have killed Robert E.O. Speedwagon. Joseph Joestar, who viewed Speedwagon as an uncle, responds by pulling a Tommy gun out of HammerSpace, giving the blood-sucker several dozen new orifices, and then issuing a declaration of war. Appropriately enough, Joseph is a GuileHero who's occasionally been referred to as Japan's answer to WesternAnimation/BugsBunny.
** In ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'', Joseph has a super move which re-creates this scene; its name is, of course, the same as this trope's.

* ''LightNovel/OurLastCrusadeOrTheRiseOfANewWorld'': Alice says this word for word upon seeing Sisbell acting lovey-dovey with Iska while spying on them.
* ''Manga/GTOTheEarlyYears'': Thanks to Eikichi's {{overzealous underling}}s [[BullyingADragon picking fights with the Enoshima High gang]], Nakajo and his people come to fight the Oni-Baku. The point of no return at which Nakajo actually declares war is right after Eikichi accidentally blows up his car.

* In the appendices to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', the section Of The Dwarves recounts how Thorin's grandfather went to Moria and was caught by orcs, who threw out his head with a purse of small coins stuffed in the mouth. The purse was taken to the Dwarf-king Nain who regarded it in silence for a day or two, then said "This cannot be borne". The dwarves suffered horribly in the years that followed, but the orcs of the Misty Mountains took a ''hiding''.

* In ''Literature/FireAndBlood'', the civil war between two factions of House Targaryen known as the Dance of Dragons was kicked off when Prince Aemond Targaryen murdered Prince Lucerys Velaryon, son of Rhaenyra Targaryen, one of the two claimants for the Iron Throne, in cold blood, despite the fact Lucerys had been an unarmed envoy at the time. Lucerys's enraged stepfather, Daemon Targaryen, arranged the assassination of one of King Aegon II's sons in retaliation, turning what had been a dynastic squabble in a mutual war of annihilation.

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeason1'': After [[spoiler:Will frees Jade of Tarakudo's corruption]], Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin state to Tarakudo, Phobos, Cedric and Wong that what they did to their friend gave them more reason than ever to fight them -- right before they give the latter three [[CombinedEnergyAttack a big taste of elemental magic]].

* ''Manga/ShonanJunaiGumi'': Thanks to Eikichi's {{overzealous underling}}s [[BullyingADragon picking fights with the Enoshima High gang]], Nakajo and his people come to fight the Oni-Baku. The point of no return at which Nakajo actually declares war is right after Eikichi accidentally blows up his car.

* In the ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}''/Franchise/GreenLantern crossover ''Comicbook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'', when Atrocitus ravages planet Ysmault, poisons the Blood Lake, defaces their statues and destroys the Red Power Battery, Guy Gardner and his Red Lanterns know he has declared war on them.

* In ''FanFic/ThisBites'', listening to the horror happening on [[spoiler: [[Anime/BaronOmatsuriAndTheSecretIsland the secret island]]]] has virtually every superpower in the world, from Whitebeard, to Ace, to Dragon, gunning to sink the island into the sea, with the Marines planning on sending ''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill every Buster Call they have]]'' to make sure. And even that pales in the face of [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower Garp's]] rage.

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* In ''TabletopGame/InNomine'', the worst of all possible occurrences is the Archangel Novalis responding to something you've done with a frown and the quietly uttered phrase "Oh dear". Because when you get to the point where the Archangel of Flowers, heavenly incarnation of peace, love and forgiveness, decides that something has to be done about you, then you have really messed up.
** Novalis's followers are forbidden from engaging in ''unnecessary violence''. She also has a subordinate Malakim - one of Heaven's mightiest warriors - who is the Angel of '''Necessary Violence'''. It can come as a great surprise when a known Angel of Flowers suddenly, with absolute surety, goes for the throat.

-->-- '''[[Creator/TheMarxBrothers Groucho Marx]]''', [[WeirdAlEffect then]] '''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'''

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'': Spoken word for word by Niki when the Escalator Girls toss her into small garbage can.

* ''WesternAnimation/6Teen'': Spoken word for word by Niki when the Escalator Girls toss her into small garbage can.

* Threatened but thankfully averted in [[IronKissed Iron Kissed]]. When one of the fae lords threatens Mercy, Samuel (son of the ruler of the North American werewolves) informs them that "For Mercy, Dad would declare open war on the fae and damned be the consequences."

*** In ''Film/SpaceJamANewLegacy'', Al G. Rhythm introduces himself to the Tunes via trashing their world, mocking their designs, and forcing a 3D upgrade on them against their will. By the time he's done, he's the focus of all their attention for the wrong reasons, and Bugs is practically livid over it all.

* Travis Touchdown, in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'', declares this after his best friend is murdered by hitmen who happen to be on the payroll of the number 1-ranked assassin.