History Main / TothePain

* In ''Film/TrueLies'', we're given a brief pan across gleaming stainless steel surgical instruments and vials of drugs but this serves as a ChekhovsGun, notably the Patterson trocar Arnie uses to kill the guard while using the torturer as a HumanShield.

** It's worth remembering that Tycho is threatening Gabe because he called ''VideoGame/WarhammerOnline'' a rip off of ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''.

* ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'' has a very interesting variation of this trope when Andy threatens to quit working for Warden Norton after [[spoiler:Tommy is killed]].
-->'''Warden Norton''': Nothing stops. Nothing... or you will do the hardest time there is. No more protection from the guards. I'll pull you out of that one-bunk Hilton and cast you down with the Sodomites. You'll think you've been fucked by a train! And the library? Gone... sealed off, brick-by-brick. We'll have us [[BookBurning a little book barbecue in the yard]]. They'll see the flames for miles. We'll dance around it like wild Injuns! You understand me? Catching my drift?...[[MoralEventHorizon .. Or am I being obtuse?]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': [[spoiler: Played terrifyingly straight by St. Jaygarcia Saturn in Chapter 1095, while he has Bonney and Straw Hats cornered on Egghead.]]

-->'''Ren:''' '''[[YouExclamation YOUUUUU! BOTH OF YOU!]]''' Oh, what I'm gonna do to you... ''[[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry I'm so]] [[''ThatMakesMeFeelAngry angry!]]'' First, I'm gonna tear your lips out. Yeah... that's what I'm gonna do. [[EyeScream And then... I'm gonna...]] ''[[EyeScream GOUGE]]'' [[EyeScream your eyes out.]] [[DeletedScene Yeah... that's what I'm gonna do...]] Yeah, you scared, huh? Next... I'm gonna... ''TEAR'' your arms out of their sockets! And you wanna know what else? [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I'm gonna hit ya... and you're gonna faaaaallll]]... and I'm gonna look down and ''I'm gonna laugh...'' But first... FIRST!!!... [[MoodWhiplash I gotta take a whiz!]] Don't you go anywhere. You stay right here.

-->'''Ren:''' '''[[YouExclamation YOUUUUU! BOTH OF YOU!]]''' Oh, what I'm gonna do to you... ''I'm so angry!'' First, I'm gonna tear your lips out. Yeah... that's what I'm gonna do. [[EyeScream And then... I'm gonna... GOUGE your eyes out.]] [[DeletedScene Yeah... that's what I'm gonna do...]] Yeah, you scared, huh? Next... I'm gonna... ''TEAR'' your arms out of their sockets! And you wanna know what else? [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I'm gonna hit ya... and you're gonna faaaaallll]]... and I'm gonna look down and I'm gonna laugh... But first... FIRST!!!... [[MoodWhiplash I gotta take a whiz!]] Don't you go anywhere. You stay right here.

If the villain has a [[TortureTechnician more clinical approach to his work]], however, there is often a meta version of this trope where the audience is treated to a slow camera pan across the torture instruments, which are laid out neatly on a table. He may describe the history of his technique or the specific effects on the body. This tends to underscore how cold-blooded and WickedCultured he is.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', Dr. Mrs. The Monarch is interrogating S-464, who has been revealed to be working with the Peril Partnership, with the intent of making him into a [[TheMole mole]]. He initially refuses, but her ''very'' detailed description of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaphism "The Tub"]], which he would be subjected to for his treason, is enough to change his mind.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': The Monarch does this regularly. Especially when his death trap contains [[GroinAttack the DREADED CANDIRU]]!

->''"'[[TropeNamers To the pain]]' means that the first thing you lose will be your feet below the ankles. Then your hands at the wrists, next your nose... The next thing you lose will be your left eye, followed by your right. [...] Your ears you keep, and I'll tell you why: so that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish; every babe that weeps at your approach; every woman who cries out, 'Dear God! What is that thing?' will echo in your perfect ears. ''That'' is what 'to the pain' means; it means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery, forever."''
-->-- '''Westley''', ''Film/ThePrincessBride''

** He also uses the ''terratio verborum'' technique mentioned in the RealLife folder, by showing the tortured the implements he would be using, and describing precisely how it would work prior to doing so.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The Dr. Nefarious example in modern philosophy, in regard to the mind/body theory, which posits the following: You are being held as a prisoner of the evil Dr. Nefarious. He comes to you and tells you that at 1:30, he will take you into his chamber and use his new torture device on you. He then goes on to tell you that at 1:26 he will take his memory machine and erase the memory of the conversation you just had with him; at 1:27 he will erase ''all'' of your memories; at 1:28 he will replace your memories with those of Ronald Reagan. (The argument does not state whether or not Dr. Nefarious will restore your memory after that.) You will still be going to the torture chamber at 1:30, of course.
* The Three Degrees of the Spanish Inquisition: a new prisoner would receive the First Degree, in which the Inquisition would show him the Devices and explain at length what they were, how they operated and what they were used for. After a period of time in which the new prisoner's imagination would be allowed to work, they would go back to the interrogation room for the Second Degree: witnessing the Devices being used on somebody else. Another period of time would be allowed to elapse, and then the Third Degree happened. Of course, all this could be avoided by timely confession of sin...
* Serial killer David Parker Ray, the Toy Box Killer, had prepared a speech (and later, a recording of said speech) for his victims that seemed designed to start breaking them down even before his extracurricular activities truly started. It described in rather sickening detail how he planned to use them as sex slaves, describing their storage in a way that seemed utterly escape-proof, and how even if/when he released them he would ensure they couldn't remember anything to report to the police.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Literature/TheFirstLaw'' this is standard operating procedure among [[VillainProtagonist protagonist]] Inquisitor Gloka and other members of the Inquisition.

* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'': John did this by telling Quinn what he usually doesn't do.

* Illness from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' sums up what her prisoners are in for if they don't talk by telling them, "The boss said that I just had to do what people used to do to me!" and [[CoveredWithScars lifting up her dress to show them exactly what she means by that]]. The captives confess instantly.

* Parodied in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', where Sousuke begins delivering a speech to Captain Harris describing how he will slowly skin him alive if any of Kaname's schoolmates are harmed. It might have had the intended effect if Kaname and Tessa weren't loudly snickering behind him and speculating that he's probably just hangry.

* ''[[Creator/AgathaChristie Philomel Cottage]]'' has the heroine do this to the villain.

* Parodied in ''Series/{{Blackadder}} The Third'', in which Literature/TheScarletPimpernel describes the peculiar symptoms of the poison he's just taken, without noticing they're happening to him.

* In the ''Film/{{Scorpio}}'', Cross (played by Burt Lancaster) catches an assassin sent to kill him, and informs him that he's giving him the "Forget the mortgage pill" and several other euphemisms for a cyanide capsule, ending with "kiss your life goodbye, you've got 30 seconds to live" before forcing it down the guy's throat, and he leaves the man, terrified, on the floor of a bus station men's room. Later we find out it was actually a cold pill, but the man had been driven insane from the terror.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has perhaps the shortest version of this trope so far. It is provided by [[MasterofIllusion Itachi]] who simply explains to Kakashi the details of his Tsukuyomi technique, which traps Itachi and his opponent in an illusion world where Itachi controls time, space and matter, essentially making him god, followed by Itachi crucifying Kakashi and telling him that he, and his hundreds of clones, will stab Kakashi with their katanas for the following 72 hours.
** It is made far worse in the anime adaptation which greatly expands upon the torture scene and culminates with, after what seems like several hours of ColdBloodedTorture, Itachi divulging to poor Kakashi that 71 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds still remained. That's the deadliest thing about the technique--being under it for a few seconds is equivalent to days worth of torture, so it's hard for the mind to recover from it.
** ''And Itachi's never used the technique on anyone he actually wanted to die from it...''

* During the Dark Tournament on ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' Ura Urashima uses a FountainOfYouth item on Kurama to regress him to an earlier stage of life. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain It reverts him to his more bloodthirsty demon self]] who intricately describes what the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Death Tree]] [[WhenTreesAttack will do to his foe]].

* In ''WebVideo/YuGiOhARCVTheAbridgedSeries'' Shun does this to Sora in episode 11, though Sora is unimpressed.
* ''Fanfic/{{Quicken}}'': [[AntiHero Emma]] kills thug Yan, doing exactly what the ABB thugs were planning to do to her: cutting chunks off her face. And each time she announces what body part she’ll cut off next.
-->Nose. Eye. Mouth! Ears!

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In Elliot Kay’s ''Good Intentions,'' Alex, the MC, is in the early stages of being beaten up by his ex-girlfriend’s college-football-player ex-boyfriend. By taking the first few hits, Alex manages to get hold of the ex’s thumb and break it. When the ex disengages, Alex tells him he knows the ex will win, but Alex will do his damndest to do enough damage to him that he won’t be able to play again for the rest of the season and maybe ever. The ex backs off.

* ''Series/{{Luther}}''. Annoyed over something Luther has done, manipulative sociopath Alice Morgan grabs his estranged wife Zoe as she's leaving her office and holds an icepick to her ear.
-->'''Alice''': [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Don't-look-around]]. Your husband assaulted me. He touched me. Intimately. He made me do things. He hurt me because of you. And as he touched me he talked about you. He said you were dead. And you'd been very badly burned, your face was cut and your skin was gone. You'd been abducted off the street by a man. A very sick man. He kept you alive for days. He used knives. A blowtorch. He kept pieces of you for seven years. I'm worried...that someone might want to hurt you like that.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Spoofed in "The Zeppo" when a zombie spells out exactly what he'll do to Xander, only for Xander to indicate a nearby TimeBomb and ask if he's going to do all that in forty-nine seconds.
* In ''Series/TheBorgias'', a doctor has to explain the treatment of [[spoiler:Juan Borgia]]'s horrifically averted STDImmunity before he [[GroinAttack proceeds]]. The worst part? [[MedievalMorons The "treatment" won't do a damn thing for him.]]

* An army-sized variation shows up in ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar: Dark Crusade''. Governor-Militant Alexander's speech/boast when his stronghold is attacked outlines the myriad ways the Imperial Guard force is going to reduce its enemy to bite-size chunks. (In order mentioned: legions of infantry, tanks, artillery, and [[WaveMotionGun the Titan Cannon]].)
* One of the male mage character voice sets in ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' quotes this as one of his battle cries.
* In ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'', Josuke's [=GHA=] [[HarmfulHealing has him tell that he's healing the victim]] ''"The way I see it, if I make you well again,'' And -" [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown pulverizes the sap with Crazy/Shining Diamond]] ''"- then kick your ass, I won't be "bullying the weak" then,'' '''''will I?"'''''
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' features Nero's battle theme, ''The Time Has Come'', which is a musical To The Pain speech to Nero's enemies.
--> I'll tell you now I'm the one to survive, you'll never break my faith or my stride, I'll have you choke on your own demise, I'll make the angel scream, and [[TitleDrop the devil cry!]]

* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'': Tycho's infamous To The Pain speech in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/4/10/ this strip]].
-->'''Tycho:''' Don't say another goddamn word. Up until now I've been polite. If you say ''anything'' else -- word ''one'' -- I will kill myself. And when my tainted spirit finds its destination, I will [[HellHasNewManagement topple the master of that dark place]]. From my black throne, I will lash together a machine of bone and blood, and [[ThePowerOfHate fueled by my hatred for you]] this ''fear engine'' will bore a hole between this world and that one. When it begins, you will hear the sound of children screaming -- as though from a great distance. A smoking orb of ''[[NothingIsScarier nothing]]'' will grow above your bed, and from it will emerge a thousand starving crows. As I slip through the widening maw in my new form, you will catch only a glimpse of my radiance before you are incinerated. Then, as tears of bubbling pitch stream down my face, my dark work will begin. I will open one of my six mouths, and I will sing the song that ends the earth.
** It's worth remembering that Tycho is threatening Gabe because he called ''VideoGame/WarhammerOnline'' a rip off of ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''.
* [[MemeticMutation HE COMES!]] (In the form of [[https://web.archive.org/web/20090327074144/http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Zalgo Zalgo]]. Though the actual source of this phenomenon is unknown...) [[spoiler:hewaitsbehindthewalls]]

* ''Webcomic/{{XKCD}}'' has [[http://xkcd.com/1139/ I am rubber, you are glue.]]

* ''Webcomic/TheBikiniBottomHorror'' has Patrick going mad and deciding to give [=SpongeBob=] a lesson in sea star feeding habits. [[EstablishingSeriesMoment And that's the first page]].
-->'''Patrick:''' Do you know how sea stars feed, [=SpongeBob=]? Let me... show you. Our stomachs extend out of our bodies... Penetrating our prey... and injecting them with enzymes. So that they be digested externally... I'm sorry, [=SpongeBob=].

* In ''Literature/CarrerasLegions'', newly captured prisoners that are brought to Fernandez for interrogation aboard the Legion's torture ship are given a guided tour of the various rooms, with explicit descriptions on tortures carried out in each room. Many of those brought in who say they won't talk under any circumstances don't need more than taking the tour to make them change their mind and decide to cooperate. One tour shown to the reader doesn't even finish before the previously defiant prisoner decides to spill what he knows.
* In ''Literature/{{Pact}}'', one of the major antagonists is an AnthropomorphicPersonification of Conquest. Not of War, which is conflict and may have rules, nor change by victory, which would be the province of an incarnation of Liberty, ''Conquest'', meaning brutal subjugation of the defeated. And he loves to talk about what he does to his victims before he does it.
-->''This is the first step on a journey. At the end of these journeys, I have turned men into beasts, groveling for my favor, debasing himself for my mercy. You are fortunate, in a way, because you are an admitted novice, of limited use. I will use you up for the little knowledge you have, and then I will kill you once that knowledge is exhausted.''
* In the third book of the [[Literature/TheRiftwarCycle Empire trilogy]], a man is desperately seeking an antidote for his poisoned wife. So he sits down and spends an hour describing to the man who created the poison exactly what will happen if he doesn't hand over the antidote. The man breaks.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'':
** While interrogating some prisoners, the thief-catcher Juilin ghoulishly gloats that WeHaveWaysOfMakingYouTalk, then calls for [[NoodleImplements rope, gags, cooking oil, and salt]] with sinister enthusiasm. Subverted when he doesn't tell the prisoners or his squeamish companions what he plans to do with them, because [[spoiler:he doesn't know a thing about torture, and his plan is to bluff the prisoners into talking]].
** Perrin pairs this with a JackBauerInterrogationTechnique to break an Aiel who supposedly can't be tortured. [[spoiler:Chopping off a hand for emphasis and describing how the captive will be left, limbless and helpless, in the nearest village for people to [[ComeToGawk gawk at]] and [[DontYouDarePityMe pity]]]] if he doesn't answer every question breaks him faster than any amount of pain could do.
* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': To convince Gruffle to surrender quietly, Fairtheora describes a scenario where he dismembers the troll and then sticks the rest into his stew "while you are still alive and bleeding".
* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries'': Murderbot does this by implication to break up an incident on a transport ship:
-->''"If you bother her again I will break every individual bone in your hand and arm. It will take about an hour."''
* ''Literature/FateStrangeFake'': Jester Karture tells Sigma he plans to render him unable to die, then slowly chop him apart and feed him to chickens.

* In ''Series/TheMightyBoosh,'' a psycho in prison does this to Howard: "I'm gonna cut you up. I'm gonna slice you to shreds... I'm gonna slice your nose off, and throw it at a vicar..." In a possible subversion, Howard teaches him to talk about nice things (e.g. flying a kite on a sunny day), and this terrifies the psycho's next victim ''even more''.

* In ''Series/PrisonBreak'', when [[spoiler:Alex Mahone finally gets his revenge on Wyatt for killing his son]], he describes pretty clearly just what will happen to him. Starting with a needle pierced through his finger causing unimaginable pain to the defibrillator that will ''give him a wake-up call when his body begins to shut down due to the pain''.

* From ''Series/{{Lost}}'', in "Whatever The Case May", four episodes ''after'' Jack and Sayid have actually tortured Sawyer, Jack uses To The Pain to get Sawyer to give him the briefcase of guns:
-->'''Jack:''' That's the antibiotic I've been giving you for the knife wound in your arm. You're right in the middle of the treatment cycle now, if I keep giving you the pills you're going to be right as rain. But I'm going to stop giving you the pills. And for two days you're going to think you're all good, then it's going to start to itch. The day after that the fever's going to come and you're going to start seeing red lines running up and down your arm. A day or two after that you'll beg me to take the case, just to cut off your arm.
* A MasterSwordsman in ''Series/GetSmart'' tells Max exactly how he is going to cut him up, ending with "I will cut the shirt from your back... and the trousers from your skinny little legs." Unfortunately for the bad guy, [[BerserkButton Max is so offended by the insult to his legs]] that he kills him instantly.

* Faith torturing Wesley in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' episode "[[Recap/AngelS01E18FiveByFive Five by Five]]".
-->'''Faith:''' "We've only done one of the five basic torture groups. We've done blunt, but that still leaves sharp, hot, cold, and loud."

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Doctor is generally a wonderful friend and brilliant scientist. When he confronts an enemy, he tends to give them a chance to surrender peacefully. When forced into conflict, he will ''usually'' find a brilliant way to end the threat in one swift action. When an enemy comes at him through his friends he is known to display a ''nasty'' side...
--> I want you to give the order to run away. Those words. [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten "Run away." I want you to be famous for those exact words.]] I want people to call you Colonel Run-Away. I want [[HumiliationConga children laughing outside your door 'cos they've found the house of Colonel Run-Away]]. And when people come to you and ask you if trying to get to me through '''the people I love''' is in any way a good idea... [[FateWorseThanDeath I want you to tell them your name.]]

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Marcie the insane invisible girl whips a sheet off a tray of surgical instruments, then describes how she intends to give Cordelia a GlasgowGrin.
* ''Series/{{Alias}}'':
** In the first episode, a Hong Kong baddie shows Sidney the tools he's going to use to [[TheToothHurts pull her teeth out]] if she doesn't talk. Her response? "Start with the ones in the back."
** Done by [=McKenas=] Cole (played by Creator/QuentinTarantino) after he & his mooks have invaded SD-6 on behalf of "The Man." He talks to Arvin, trying to get him to open the vault in order to get a MacGuffin. It doesn't work.
* The rat method is used in ''Series/GameOfThrones''. The rat is placed in the pail, which is strapped to the interrogatee's chest. Then you hold the torch under the pail, which makes the rat rather ... ''anxious'' to get out. The process is carefully explained, just in case there's any misunderstanding on the prisoner's part as to what's going to happen.

* Basically the premise of ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': the [[MadScientist Mads]] are attempting to find the Worst Movie Ever Made, one that is so painful to watch that it will completely shatter the will of anyone who watches it, allowing the Mads to use it to TakeOverTheWorld. It never works, of course, but there are some films that come close to breaking the crew of the Satellite of Love.
** There are some episodes where the Mads will explicitly attempt to weaponize elements of a specific movie in order to increase the level of pain generated. "[[Film/LostContinent Rock Climbing]]", "[[Film/HerculesAgainstTheMoonMen DEEP HURTING]]", and "[[Film/RadarSecretService Hypno-Helio Static Stasis (with X-4!)]]" are all specific examples of their attempts to weaponize [[invoked]]{{Padding}}, for example.

* In ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', the Inquisition has a nine-step interrogation process. Step one is simply the Inquisitor walking up and saying "Hello, I am an [[StateSec Inquisitor]]." The second stage consists simply of explaining the protocol for the next seven stages. The vast majority of subjects break before stage three, and most who don't aren't even remotely sane in the first place.
* The TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness games loved this trope.

** TabletopGame/KindredOfTheEast detailed a discipline called "Black Wind," which was simply a variable application speed/strength boost power that was fueled by the standard installation demon riding in the back of every Kuei-Jin's head, which meant that the discipline could only be used for violence. It didn't apply under this trope. However, since the Kuei-Jin seemed like they weren't making a comeback, one fan-made martial art background skill was created for the TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness line using the same name. Black Wind, the martial art style, is a series of blocks, strikes, and momentum redirecting counters coupled with psychological warfare designed to enrage and humiliate an opponent, with the eventual goal of reducing the opponent to a state of utter despair. The rules explicitly state that if an opponent dies from the use of the art, then the practitioner has screwed up.
** TabletopGame/HunterTheReckoning had a particularly nasty version of it; the torturer used strong local anaesthetic on his victim, broke every bone in his hand, and then explained how much it would hurt once the anaesthetic wore off.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' featured this during a not-so-subtle threat against a pervert trying to have sex with them. The team promises something like "I'll cut 'em off" "I'll break 'em off" "I'll smash them". He ends up giving them the information they want.

* Jager Tharn in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena'', when he contacts you telepathically shortly after you receive the first piece of the [[DismantledMacguffin Staff of Chaos]]. "Give it to them, and I will make your death painless, and quick. Resist, and I will see you in such suffering that you will grovel for the sweet release of death!''
* Alexander in ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent'' uses this to prolong his victim's fear. He even sets up a system of pipes to funnel one victim's screams into the cell of another.
** He also uses the ''terratio verborum'' technique mentioned in the RealLife folder, by showing the tortured the implements he would be using, and describing precisely how it would work prior to doing so.
* Before the third battle against him in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', Demon Lord Ghirahim describes to Link just how he plans to kill him and dispose of his corpse. [[spoiler:It's also how you defeat ''him''.]]
* [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon''. Heroes with the Sadistic affliction will spout out various To The Pain lines constantly, which won't faze the enemies one bit. Their fellow heroes, however, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero will gain stress as they become more and more disturbed by this]].
* [[DefiedTrope Defied]] in ''VideoGame/LostJudgment''; Soma starts his torture of Yagami by punching him in the face, telling his underlings that you ''start'' with pain so that the victim will fear you and whatever is coming next.

* Jack from ''Webcomic/ZebraGirl'' did this a couple of times, [[http://www.zebragirl.net/?date=2005-05-02 most notably here.]]

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Straddling the line between this and CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon, but played entirely seriously. Why should Sirleck help Magus?
-->'''Magus:''' Because you can't hurt me, I never sleep or run out of breath, and I have nothing better to do than [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath follow you around and incessantly babble about anything and everything.]]

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', both [[MadDoctor Bonesaw]] and [[TimeMaster Gray Boy]] like to describe the [[FateWorseThanDeath things they can do]] with their powers.

* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': Negaduck describes doing this to Darkwing's allies, and it all starts as soon as he throws... The ''Switch''!

* Shows up in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' after Lockdown's first defeat. Ratchet is messily working on removing Optimus's grappling hook launchers from Lockdown's arms, and answers Lockdown's screams of pain with the observation that he ''could'' have numbed the pain... too bad he hasn't gotten around to reinstalling his EMP generator after it, too, was stolen by Lockdown.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Pulling Double Booty", Hayley graphically describes to Francine what she'll do if she's dumped again. She'll kill her new boyfriend, burn down the neighborhood, and [[BlackComedyRape rape]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Roger]]. [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne Francine is horrified at the third]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', Dr. Mrs. The Monarch is interrogating S-464, who has been revealed to be working with the Peril Partnership, with the intent of making him into a [[TheMole mole]]. He initially refuses, but her ''very'' detailed description of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaphism "The Tub"]], which he would be subjected to for his treason, is enough to change his mind.
* The first season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfVoxMachina'' sees Percy ready to take his final revenge against Delilah Briarwood; unlike with the previous victims on his List, Percy [[spoiler: or rather the demon Orthax that drives his bloodlust]] intends to savor the experience.
---> '''Percy:''' Your pain will linger. I'll shatter your ankles for my sister Vesper. Your hands belong to Julius. Each de Rolo will have their pound of flesh, until I flay the skin from what's left of you.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Pick a ''[[Film/JamesBond Bond]]'' villain, any Bond villain. ...Except, of course, for Le Chiffre in ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', who subverts the trope by saying, "You know, I never understood all these elaborate tortures," before doing something [[GroinAttack very nasty]] to Bond with an old chair and a knotted rope (a carpet beater in the original book).

* The ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films. Such a big point that the antagonist makes a puppet to do the talking, and puts a TV in the room with the trap. However, there is a reason for this; the villain wants the person to know what they did wrong to "warrant" getting in such a bad situation and how they can escape.

* In the first appearance of WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse's archnemesis the Phantom Blot, the Blot did this ''several times'', putting Mickey in increasingly crazy death traps before leaving him to his fate. (In a comedic subversion, it turned out the reason the Blot designed all these incredibly complicated mechanisms was that he was too tender-hearted to straight-up shoot someone himself. In later stories, [[TookALevelInBadass he unfortunately got better in that regard]]).

* Naturally, the villains on ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' often describe what the science-project-gone-horribly-wrong-of-the-week is intended to do, immediately before it does it to the wrong person. Or in the wrong way. Or in an escapable manner.

* In one ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'' episode, Mozenrath explains a death trap to Aladdin and Jasmine before he leaves to destroy Agrabah. Aladdin had ''asked'' for the explanation by saying "How can you destroy us and Agrabah at the same time?"

* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', during the Mount Natagumo arc, Zenitsu gets bitten by a spider. The "Elder Brother" demon then shows him a watch and tells him about when each stage of the poison's effects will take effect, culminating in Zenitsu turning into a spider.

* Partially subverted in ''[[Literature/{{Discworld}} The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents]]'': After Malicia "poisons" two rat catchers by switching their sugar for something else, Keith goes through the standard list of gruesome effects. After the rat catchers have run off for the "antidote", [[spoiler: Malicia reveals that what they switched the sugar with was ''laxative'' and the antidote was ''more laxative'']]. The effects Keith lists, however, are apparently what would have actually happened to them had they instead opted to swap the sugar with any of the innumerable poisons around the room.

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* In ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'', Silver Mask/Hilmes tells Arslan when he corners him alone in episode 13 that he will cut off Arslan's right hand now. Then when they meet next time, he will take the left hand. And after that, if Arslan is still alive, he will take his right foot.
* In the Mount Natagumo arc from ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', Shinobu describes in detail how she plans to gouge out the Spider Demon Daughter's eyes, then cut open and disembowel her stomach.

* In ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', a [[ThoseWackyNazis neo-Nazi general]] tries to do this to Revy, but while all of this is going on, she just nonchalantly reloads her gun and shoots him point-blank and mid-sentence.
-->'''Revy:''' Now it's my turn to talk. Here's some advice: if you can hit your target, pretty much any gun will do the trick. Now that's one to grow on. [[PreMortemOneLiner Say hi to the Fuehrer for me.]] ['''BLAM!''']
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': [[spoiler:Mustang vs. Envy. Mustang starts by incinerating Envy's ''tongue'', and then his ''[[EyeScream eyes]]'']].
-->[[spoiler:'''Mustang:''' Stand up, monster! Go on and regenerate yourself! You'll suffer a thousand deaths before I'm done!]]
* Illness from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' sums up what her prisoners are in for if they don't talk by telling them, "The boss said that I just had to do what people used to do to me!" and [[CoveredWithScars lifting up her dress to show them exactly what she means by that]]. The captives confess instantly.
* Parodied in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', where Sousuke begins delivering a speech to Captain Harris describing how he will slowly skin him alive if any of Kaname's schoolmates are harmed. It might have had the intended effect if Kaname and Tessa weren't loudly snickering behind him and speculating that he's probably just hangry.
-->'''Sousuke:''' Chidori, I'm currently attempting to intimidate the enemy. Would you please be quiet?

* Chuck Dixon (who also wrote the ''Punisher'' example below) had a scene in ''Black Terror'' from ''Creator/EclipseComics''. The Black Terror injects an underling with Novocaine and tells him that this will dull the chainsaw torture. In fact, the Black Terror just rubs an electric toothbrush on his back while turning on a chainsaw.

* The [[TortureTechnician Crime Doctor]] loved doing this in the original [[ComicBook/SecretSix Villains United]] miniseries.

* In Shining Armor's side story of the ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'', [[GeneralRipper Makarov]] goes on a long spiel about what he's [[FateWorseThanDeath going to do]] to Shining if he catches him alive. He ends up actually giving a ''summation'' of what he said, it's that long.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

** Likewise in ''Film/TrueLies'', but this serves as a ChekhovsGun, notably the Patterson trocar Arnie uses to kill the guard while using the torturer as a HumanShield.

* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', Count Rugen doesn't merely stop at explaining the workings of his agonizing torture device to the hero but tries to draw out some scholarly conversation about its effects. "Remember, this ''is'' for posterity, so... be honest." The hero seems to pick this up, for in the "To the Pain" monologue near the end of the movie that gives the trope its name, he describes in excruciating detail how he is going to dismember the villain and make him suffer if he doesn't surrender. [[spoiler:Although providing the Trope name, this is a subversion -- the Hero was clearly bluffing the villain with this speech, [[YouCanBarelyStand as he was in no condition to actually beat the villain]]. He was counting on the guy being such a coward that he'd surrender rather than risk the threat he was describing, and as it turned out, he was.]]

* During the climactic confrontation with the villain in ''Literature/TheThreeHostages'', Mary Hannay describes what she's going to do to him if he doesn't release the final hostage, a young child, in detail and with such terrifying conviction that he folds completely.
* In ''Literature/TheWitches'' by Creator/RoaldDahl, there is a scene where one character describes kicking another, "til his own mother doesn't recognise him."
* Creator/CliveCussler:
** In ''Literature/{{Sahara}}'', Al Giordino pulls this on the villain's main henchman, after which the henchman is describing as looking "on the verge of a nervous breakdown." We don't get to read the actual exchange though, only the "mention" afterward.
--->'''Al Giordino:''' I spent the time describing in vivid detail how I was going to dismember him millimetre by millimetre.\\
'''Dirk Pitt:''' That's all?\\
'''Al Giordino:''' He has a great imagination.
** Cussler utilizes this method a second time in his ''[[Literature/TheOregonFiles Oregon Files]]'' book ''Skeleton Coast,'' this time on a captured ecoterrorist while interrogating her. The interrogator in question, Linda Ross, calmly and coldly describes how she intends to painfully and methodically torture the terrified captive until the woman either dies or gives up the information she wants. Much like the ''Princess Bride'', however, it was intended as a bluff, and one that works; her prisoner sings like a canary barely five seconds after Linda leaves the room. However, it should be noted that Linda took ''no'' pleasure in doing this to the woman, ecoterrorist or not, but the situation was too dire to utilize more humane methods of extracting information.

* In ''[[Literature/NineteenEightyFour 1984]]'', the villain describes to Winston in excruciating detail [[spoiler:what the rats will do to his face]]. This one is noteworthy since the whole point is to completely break the victim by exposing them to their worst fear, rather than actually harming them. The threat is made credible by the great deal of ColdBloodedTorture inflicted on Winston earlier, and because [[spoiler:"worst fear" is NotHyperbole; Winston is [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes absolutely terrified of rats]]]].
* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'' by Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold:
** In ''Literature/MirrorDance'', Baron Ryoval goes into rapturous detail about how he intends to destroy Mark Vorkosigan through torture. ("I'd intended to have you starved. But I believe I'll have you force-fed instead.") [[TooKinkyToTorture Things don't turn out quite as he intended]].
** In ''Literature/ShardsOfHonor'', this happens to Cordelia; in an interesting variant, what scares her the most, and what gets described the most, is not what will be done to her, but [[RevengeByProxy what will be done to Aral]] ''through'' her.
* In Creator/DanAbnett's ''Xenos'' (part of the ''Literature/{{Eisenhorn}}'' trilogy), Eisenhorn is captured and tortured by a Chaos cult. They demonstrate the techniques with their threats, including the promise he will [[FrozenFace never smile]] again -- and the damage to his nerves is so extensive that he never will. Near the end of the same book, Cherubael threatens to, amongst other things, break every bone in Eisenhorn and Bequin’s bodies if they don’t hand over a MacGuffin.
* At the end of ''Literature/{{Shogun}}'', [[spoiler:Toranaga]] buries [[spoiler:Ishido]] up to his neck and invites passersby to saw away at his neck with a bamboo saw. He lasts three days, and dies "very old."
* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1'':
-->"You barbarians! I'll sue the council for every penny it's got! I'll have you hung, drawn, and quartered! And whipped! And boiled...until...until...until you've had enough. And then I will do it again! And when I've finished I will take all the little bits, and I will JUMP on them! And I will carry on jumping on them until I get blisters, or I can think of anything even more unpleasant to do..."
--->--Arthur Philip Dent, after his house is demolished.
* ''Literature/VeryBadDeaths,'' by Creator/SpiderRobinson, has some horrific deaths described in this manner. This is a case of the book being 'exactly what it says on the tin'. This is compounded by the rather nice first half of the story.
* In the "Arrows" trilogy (the first ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' books by publication order) Herald Talia is tortured by someone who loves doing this. Fortunately a kind of NarrativeProfanityFilter is employed, so we don't really hear it or see what happens -- nor see what kind of shape Talia is in afterward.

* Arkadeil from ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine'' does this to teach apprentices while demonstrating exactly what he's saying. in His matter-of-fact, scholarly manner arguably makes him far creepier than many who take sadistic joy in it.
* In ''Literature/TheNineLivesOfCatseyeGomez'', a talking cat threatens another with this trope, promising to rip away eight-and-a-half out of nine lives and leave the other blind, crippled, and dragging itself across the floor. Faced with that prospect, the other confesses to the murder it'd arranged rather than get torn to shreds.

* Combined with ICallHerVera in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. When Davos Seaworth is held in the Wolf's Den he's treated well, but the turnkey makes a point of showing him the Whore -- an iron rod that when heated is used scorching off the testicles, and Lady Lu -- a huge axe for cutting off the head and hands, hopefully in that order.

* Parodied in ''Literature/WyrdSisters'', where Nanny Ogg is TooKinkyToTorture.
-->'''Nanny Ogg''' What's that?\\
'''Duke''' Ah! That is my Iron Maiden. Well may you tremble, for -\\
'''Nanny Ogg''' Can I have a go in it?\\
'''Duke''' Your pleas fall on deaf - Wait, what?

* ''Film/LawAbidingCitizen'': The death of Darby, as Clyde has built himself a complete TortureTechnician setup. Perfectly true to the script, he indeed starts with the right ankle.
-->*extending a hardware store razor knife* "This is for [[GroinAttack your penis]], [[BlackComedy but we'll get to that later.]] The scalpel. For your [[EyeScream eyelids]], if you insist on fucking shutting them...OH! And I made this [[ForcedToWatch specially for you...]] *lowers a mirrored ceiling*

* In ''Literature/DeliverUsFromEvil'' (the name being a reference to [[Literature/TheBible Psalm 23]] and not [[DeliverUsFromEvil this trope]]), WickedCultured FauxAffablyEvil BigBad [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Evan Waller]], [[spoiler:a.k.a. ex-KGB Ukrainian expatriate Fedir Kuchin]], is very fond of telling people the details of the many ways he has of torturing his opponents [[spoiler:or even his own subordinates, should he find they were attempting to betray or even skim him out of his profits]].

* In [[Literature/BookOfExodus Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-45]], God gives the Israelites a list of curses He will bring if they disobey His commandments. This is paraphrased as "If you stop obeying me and start worshiping other gods and doing hideous things [like sacrificing children] that their worship demands, I'll make sure you suffer fire, flood, pestilence, famine and war, and there's literally no place you can hide from me!"

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Jaime Lannister tries to convince an enemy lord to surrender without a fight by describing what will happen if that lord does carry on TheSiege.

** He then compounds it by having his camp musician play "The Rains of Castamere" to his intimidation victim -- a jaunty folk song about what his father did to one of his former bannermen who betrayed him. Let's not forget that (although Jaime doesn't know this) the musician he leaves behind to play "The Rains of Castamere" is the same guy who seduced the victim's first wife when the victim was too drunk to consummate the marriage on their wedding night. [[ExaggeratedTrope And made a song about it]].
** Actually a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: [[spoiler: [[TheAtoner Jaime]] was desperately hoping that his speech, coupled with his reputation as someone who might actually go through with such threats, would be enough to convince Edmure to back down as he was determined to uphold his oath to Edmure's sister Catelyn (unknown to Edmure) [[ExactWords not to raise arms against House Tully]]]].

* In ''[[Literature/RealmOfTheElderlings Golden Fool]]'', Fitz is in a sword fight with [[spoiler: Laudwine]], a one-handed man (Fitz had chopped his hand off in a previous encounter). When [[spoiler: Laudwine]] threatens to kill him slowly, Fitz responds by threatening to cut off his remaining hand and leave him alive. The idea horrifies him enough that his guard drops for a moment and he ends up dead.
* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'' Moist has a To The Pain internal monologue, where he reflects how he's ''not'' going to harm Reacher Gilt physically. "I'll kill you in our own special way, the way of the weasel, the cheat and the liar."
* In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', Mr. Nutt [[BewareTheNiceOnes decides he's had enough]] of Andy Shank tormenting him and Trev Likely and [[spoiler: ''puts him in a headlock'', while casually discussing just how much force it would take to [[NeckSnap break Andy's neck]] and [[OffWithHisHead rip his head off]], concluding that an orc like Nutt would indeed be strong enough to do so. Nutt doesn't go through with it, but the ordeal does scare Andy off getting revenge for a while]].