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* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment. Unfortunately due to the BigBrother nature of Klingon society, the [[JustYouAndMeAndMyGuards commander's own office is under surveillance]].
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* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment.
** The same thing happens in "Errand of Mercy". Unfortunately due to the BigBrother nature of the Klingonsociety, military, the [[JustYouAndMeAndMyGuards commander's own office is under surveillance]].
** The same thing happens in "Errand of Mercy". Unfortunately due to the BigBrother nature of the Klingon
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* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment.
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* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment. Unfortunately due to the BigBrother nature of Klingon society, the [[JustYouAndMeAndMyGuards commander's own office is under surveillance]].
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* ''series/StarTrekVoyager''. Someone breaks into Harry Kim's room, a sinister shadow appears over his sleeping body... It's Tom Paris, who wants his best buddy to check out his new holodeck program.
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* ''series/StarTrekVoyager''.''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Someone breaks into Harry Kim's room, a sinister shadow appears over his sleeping body... It's Tom Paris, who wants his best buddy to check out his new holodeck program.
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* ''series/StarTrekVoyager''. Someone breaks into Harry Kim's room, a sinister shadow appears over his sleeping body... It's Tom Paris, who wants his best buddy to check out his new holodeck program.
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* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Oreg does this a couple of times. Although it is not trespassing, strictly speaking, as he is sort of the GeniusLoci of [[PoweredByAForsakenChild Castle Hurog]], so he has a right to be there. It's just that Ward doesn't know about him when they first meet, and he is often unexpectedly present in Ward's room when Ward returns there.
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* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': After Moriarty discredits John and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
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* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' "[[Recap/SherlockS02E03TheReichenbachFall The Reichenbach Fall]]": After Moriarty discredits John and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
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* In ''Series/TwinPeaks'', Cooper returns to his hotel room to find [[FilleFatale Audrey Horne]] naked in his bed.
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* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up. [[spoiler:This one predictable trait proves his undoing.]]
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* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up. [[spoiler:This one predictable trait proves his undoing.]]
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What they talk about could be almost anything. From revealing IHaveYourWife, to AnOfferYouCantRefuse, to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking an offer for a new security system]]. AffablyEvil people who pull this are likely use a ChairReveal, but more dangerous people tend to use a StealthHiBye. It doesn't have to be a home that's broken into, of course. It could be an office, a secure hideout, or anywhere that is considered relatively safe. If it's easily broken into, it may overlap with SwissCheeseSecurity or UnsafeHaven.
to:
What they talk about could be almost anything. From revealing IHaveYourWife, to AnOfferYouCantRefuse, to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking an offer for a new security system]]. AffablyEvil people who pull this are likely to use a ChairReveal, but more dangerous people tend to use a StealthHiBye. It doesn't have to be a home that's broken into, of course. It could be an office, a secure hideout, or anywhere that is considered relatively safe. If it's easily broken into, it may overlap with SwissCheeseSecurity or UnsafeHaven.
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* In the Creator/StanleyKubrick adaptation of ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'', Humbert comes home to find a man waiting inside; he turns on the lights to reveal Claire Quilty (known to the audience but not Humbert) in the guise of the college psychiatrist, Dr. Zempf. "I sat in ze dark to save you ze expense of ze electricity." Given his general behavior, it's likely this is a deliberate attempt to screw with Humbert's head.
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** Whistler, demon agent of the PowersThatBe, makes contact with Buffy this way in "Becoming".
** In "This Year's Girl", Giles comes home and finds the light switch doesn't work. A man then turns on a desk lamp, to reveal the Watcher's Council has sent a wet-work team to deal with [[RogueAgent rogue slayer]] Faith.
** "Into the Woods". Riley Finn enters a darkened room and says, "GetOut". A RevealShot shows several military personnel in his house, intent on recruiting him for their covert demon-fighting unit.
** In "This Year's Girl", Giles comes home and finds the light switch doesn't work. A man then turns on a desk lamp, to reveal the Watcher's Council has sent a wet-work team to deal with [[RogueAgent rogue slayer]] Faith.
** "Into the Woods". Riley Finn enters a darkened room and says, "GetOut". A RevealShot shows several military personnel in his house, intent on recruiting him for their covert demon-fighting unit.
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* ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'': In chapter 9, school janitor Hisao Yamaki is coming home after work, only to discover [[spoiler:Kaji]] sitting in the darkness of his living room to inquire about some sensitive data. Said data being the reason why Yamaki has been into hiding for the past fifteen years, this visit is quite the unpleasant surprise for him.
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[[AC:FanWorks]]
* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': In chapter 7 Kaworu returned to his home late and discovered that his ex-boyfriend had done this. Kaworu's reaction to Saburo saying "You're late" was: "What do you care and what are you doing in my home?"
* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': In chapter 7 Kaworu returned to his home late and discovered that his ex-boyfriend had done this. Kaworu's reaction to Saburo saying "You're late" was: "What do you care and what are you doing in my home?"
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* ''Literature/StephaniePlum'' has this happen to her at least once per book, on average. It's as likely to be an ally (such as Ranger or Diesel) as an enemy.
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* In ''Literature/TheBigSleep'', Philip Marlowe gets home to find FemmeFatale Carmen Sternwood naked in his bed.
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* In Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.
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* In Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.threshold.
[[AC:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/CityOfAngels'', private eye Stone finds Mallory Kingsley naked in his bed, in a direct parody of the ''Big Sleep'' scene referenced under "Literature".
[[AC:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/CityOfAngels'', private eye Stone finds Mallory Kingsley naked in his bed, in a direct parody of the ''Big Sleep'' scene referenced under "Literature".
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{{Femme Fatale}}s may occasionally combine this with ReadyForLovemaking.
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* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up.
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* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up. [[spoiler:This one predictable trait proves his undoing.]]
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** In the episode, "Cowboy", Henry - who is in a really bad mood - enters his office to find Hawkeye waiting for him behind his desk, wanting to discuss given chopper pilot Cowboy a temporary medical discharge. Henry even remarks, "[[SarcasmMode Uh-uh-uh! Don't get up... let me just pretend ''you're'' the one in charge of this nuthouse]]."
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** In the episode, "Cowboy", Henry - who is in a really bad mood - enters his office to find Hawkeye waiting for him behind his desk, wanting to discuss given giving chopper pilot Cowboy a temporary medical discharge. Henry even remarks, "[[SarcasmMode Uh-uh-uh! Don't get up... let me just pretend ''you're'' the one in charge of this nuthouse]]."
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* In ''Literature/DoraWilkSeries'' Baal breaks (supernaturally) into main character's house twice, and it's implied he's doing it more often. PlayedForLaughs, as he usually comes to chat (and he made her breakfast once). He's just kind of lonely, but Prince of Hell can't go around just visiting people.
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He\'s referred to as John, not Watson, on the show.
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* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': After Moriarty discredits Watson and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
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* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': After Moriarty discredits Watson John and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
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* Creator/DanielCraig-era Film/JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
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* Creator/DanielCraig-era Film/JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her. Various other films, especially earlier ones, also have someone waiting in Bond's room or vice versa.
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* Brick Top's tactic in ''Film/{{Snatch}}'' (though he's not a monster: he asks Turkish to make some tea at least).
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** The scene was parodied on RobotChicken where Tony questioned why Nick broke in only to discover that "Nick" was actually a burglar.
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** The scene was parodied on RobotChicken ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken where Tony questioned why Nick broke in only to discover that "Nick" was actually a burglar.
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* DanielCraig-era Film/JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
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* DanielCraig-era Creator/DanielCraig-era Film/JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
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* Very common on ''Series/XFiles''.
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* Very common on ''Series/XFiles''.''Series/TheXFiles''.
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* In ''Literature/TheMilleniumTrilogy'' Mikael Blomkvist does this to Lisbeth Salander after he discovers that she was spying on him.
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* In ''Literature/TheMilleniumTrilogy'' ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'' Mikael Blomkvist does this to Lisbeth Salander after he discovers that she was spying on him.
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* In ''Literature/TheMilleniumTrilogy'' Mikael Blomkvist does this to Lisbeth Salander after he discovers that she was spying on him.
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* At the end of the first ''Film/IronMan'' film, Nick Fury breaks into Tony Stark's house to talk to him about the Avengers Initiative.
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* At the end of the first ''Film/IronMan'' ''Film/IronMan1'' film, Nick Fury breaks into Tony Stark's house to talk to him about the Avengers Initiative.
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* DanielCraig-era JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
* ''MajorPayne'': After his dinner date with Emily, Payne returns to discover Cadet Stone sitting at his desk, beaten and bruised from where the squad had been ambushed by another school's R.O.T.C. squad... to which Payne was actually the one who gave them the tip.
* In the original ''The Dead Zone'' movie, a journalist comes home at night and finds a local politician sitting at his desk, along with one or two "henchmen". The (crooked) politician wanted to have a chat about an unfavorable editorial about him.
* ''MajorPayne'': After his dinner date with Emily, Payne returns to discover Cadet Stone sitting at his desk, beaten and bruised from where the squad had been ambushed by another school's R.O.T.C. squad... to which Payne was actually the one who gave them the tip.
* In the original ''The Dead Zone'' movie, a journalist comes home at night and finds a local politician sitting at his desk, along with one or two "henchmen". The (crooked) politician wanted to have a chat about an unfavorable editorial about him.
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* DanielCraig-era JamesBond Film/JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
*''MajorPayne'': ''Film/MajorPayne'': After his dinner date with Emily, Payne returns to discover Cadet Stone sitting at his desk, beaten and bruised from where the squad had been ambushed by another school's R.O.T.C. squad... to which Payne was actually the one who gave them the tip.
* In the original''The Dead Zone'' ''Film/TheDeadZone'' movie, a journalist comes home at night and finds a local politician sitting at his desk, along with one or two "henchmen". The (crooked) politician wanted to have a chat about an unfavorable editorial about him.
*
* In the original
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* In Series/AmericanHorrorStory Asylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.
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* In Series/AmericanHorrorStory Asylum Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.
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* In ''Disney/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', Milo enters his apartment to find Helga inside with a proposal from Mr. Whitman to lead an expedition to Atlantis.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ttt1_9547.png]]
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It's not just villains that do this. A hero, AntiHero, MysteriousInformant, MagnificentBastard, or anybody else might do this if times get desperate enough. It's especially common in EnemyMine situations, and IfIWantedYouDead is a good way for the trespasser to gain some trust. On the more sinister side, IKnowYouKnowIKnow and ShameIfSomethingHappened can come into play. %%A common variant of this is for the trespassee to be TheAnticipator, and reveal that he knows someone is there.%%
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It's not just villains that do this. A hero, AntiHero, MysteriousInformant, MagnificentBastard, or anybody else might do this if times get desperate enough. It's especially common in EnemyMine situations, and IfIWantedYouDead is a good way for the trespasser to gain some trust. On the more sinister side, IKnowYouKnowIKnow and ShameIfSomethingHappened can come into play. %%A A common variant of this is for the trespassee to be TheAnticipator, and reveal that he knows someone is there.%%
there.
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[[caption-width-right:350:Too late to go on the record?]]
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ttt1_9547.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Too late to go on the record?]]
Humans are private creatures and we all like to have a safe place like home to retreat to. Thus, when people violate that privacy and show up in our space without invitation, it's unsettling. TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive is an effective intimidation tactic for just this reason. If they're feeling particularly malicious, they'll break in and wait. And wait. As long as it takes for the hero to wake up, get home, walk into the right room, or otherwise realize that someone else is there.
What they talk about could be almost anything. From revealing IHaveYourWife, to AnOfferYouCantRefuse, to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking an offer for a new security system]]. AffablyEvil people who pull this are likely use a ChairReveal, but more dangerous people tend to use a StealthHiBye. It doesn't have to be a home that's broken into, of course. It could be an office, a secure hideout, or anywhere that is considered relatively safe. If it's easily broken into, it may overlap with SwissCheeseSecurity or UnsafeHaven.
It's not just villains that do this. A hero, AntiHero, MysteriousInformant, MagnificentBastard, or anybody else might do this if times get desperate enough. It's especially common in EnemyMine situations, and IfIWantedYouDead is a good way for the trespasser to gain some trust. On the more sinister side, IKnowYouKnowIKnow and ShameIfSomethingHappened can come into play. %%A common variant of this is for the trespassee to be TheAnticipator, and reveal that he knows someone is there.%%
Keep in mind that this trope is not about attacks, ambushes, or abductions. It requires a great deal of stealth to pull off. If a weapon is involved, it must be a scare tactic or backup plan. However, it is definitely possible that this scenario could lead to a fight.
Compare BreakInThreat, OminouslyOpenDoor, VillainOverForDinner.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC: Anime & Manga]]
* Done in ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Chang at the El Baile de la Muerte arc when he waits for the arrival of the Lagoon crew and Fabiola alongside Garcia. This led to a tense standoff before Chang grappled with Fabiola to disarm her.
[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Rorscharch in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' frequently does this, both to his friends and enemies. In one case, leaving a RightBehindYou message in the victim's fridge.
* Franchise/{{Batman}} frequently does this, and he usually uses a StealthHiBye to get away when he's done.
[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'': When the team returns to their office after recovering the Black Box, they find a team of NSA agents waiting for them.
* In ''Film/JackieBrown'', Ordell lurks in Jackie's apartment for one of these conversations.
* ''Film/GetShorty'': Chillie breaks into Karen's house to deliver the shylock message to Harry who's sleeping there -then pitches his movie idea. Karen kicks them both out. The next day she comes home to find Chillie waiting in her house to apologize.
-->Karen: "You broke in to apologize for breaking in before?"
* In ''Film/CloudAtlas'', Luisa Rey returns home only to find someone waiting in the dark of her room. [[spoiler:It's not an enemy though.]]
* At the end of the first ''Film/IronMan'' film, Nick Fury breaks into Tony Stark's house to talk to him about the Avengers Initiative.
** The scene was parodied on RobotChicken where Tony questioned why Nick broke in only to discover that "Nick" was actually a burglar.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', the Joker manages to sneak into a heavily guarded meeting of mob bosses, and makes an offer to kill Batman for them.
* DanielCraig-era JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
* ''MajorPayne'': After his dinner date with Emily, Payne returns to discover Cadet Stone sitting at his desk, beaten and bruised from where the squad had been ambushed by another school's R.O.T.C. squad... to which Payne was actually the one who gave them the tip.
* In the original ''The Dead Zone'' movie, a journalist comes home at night and finds a local politician sitting at his desk, along with one or two "henchmen". The (crooked) politician wanted to have a chat about an unfavorable editorial about him.
* In ''Film/TheHangover'', the trio come back to their hotel room to find Mike Tyson waiting for them and their explanation as to why they have his tiger.
[[AC: Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** In ''Literature/FoolMoon'', Harry Dresden returns to his office to find [[TheDon John Marcone]] sitting at his desk, waiting to make him [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse a job offer]].
** In ''Literature/GravePeril'', Dresden manages to pull this off on Mortimer by sheer timing. Mort opens the door to his house to lug a suitcase outside, and Harry sidles in unnoticed while he's coming out. Then he sits in a chair and waits for Mort to come back in.
[[AC: Live Action TV]]
* ''[[Series/{{Mash}} M*A*S*H]]'':
** In the episode, "Cowboy", Henry - who is in a really bad mood - enters his office to find Hawkeye waiting for him behind his desk, wanting to discuss given chopper pilot Cowboy a temporary medical discharge. Henry even remarks, "[[SarcasmMode Uh-uh-uh! Don't get up... let me just pretend ''you're'' the one in charge of this nuthouse]]."
** In, "Rally 'Round the Flagg, Boy", Potter walks into his office, with Father Mulcahy in tow, to find Colonel Flagg waiting for them, and neither of them (nor Radar, who was in his outer office the whole) know or can even figure out how Flagg even got in there in the first place.
* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment.
* ''Series/MythQuest'': Max Asher comes home to find an unknown Chinese businessman sitting in his living room, waiting to talk about their mutual enemy, Gorgos.
* ''Series/DanForMayor'': A while after Claire breaks up with her fiance and he moves out, Claire comes home to find him in her kitchen and he givers her keys back.
* PlayedForLaughs on ''Series/CornerGas''. Local cop Davis is trying to get two of his friends to purchase a home security system. One day, they wake up to find him standing over their bed with a tray. He cheerfully informs them that he could've been a burgular bringing them breakfast. They buy the system just so he'll leave.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In the first season, Darla waits at Angel's house to threaten/seduce him.
* Very common on ''Series/XFiles''.
* A major plot point on ''Series/BreakingBad'', when Walter White confronts Gretchen and Elliot inside their house.
* Such an incident, invoking much FridgeLogic, happens in the pilot episode of ''Series/RobinHood'', wherein Robin sneaks into the Sheriff's castle and wakes him up to deliver a threat. He never makes good on that threat, despite constant and escalating provocation from the Sheriff, and consistent lack of good security in the castle.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': After Moriarty discredits Watson and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In a season 4 episode, the Winchesters find Castiel and Uriel waiting in their motel room to recruit them for a demon interrogation.
* In Series/AmericanHorrorStory Asylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.
[[caption-width-right:350:Too late to go on the record?]]
Humans are private creatures and we all like to have a safe place like home to retreat to. Thus, when people violate that privacy and show up in our space without invitation, it's unsettling. TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive is an effective intimidation tactic for just this reason. If they're feeling particularly malicious, they'll break in and wait. And wait. As long as it takes for the hero to wake up, get home, walk into the right room, or otherwise realize that someone else is there.
What they talk about could be almost anything. From revealing IHaveYourWife, to AnOfferYouCantRefuse, to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking an offer for a new security system]]. AffablyEvil people who pull this are likely use a ChairReveal, but more dangerous people tend to use a StealthHiBye. It doesn't have to be a home that's broken into, of course. It could be an office, a secure hideout, or anywhere that is considered relatively safe. If it's easily broken into, it may overlap with SwissCheeseSecurity or UnsafeHaven.
It's not just villains that do this. A hero, AntiHero, MysteriousInformant, MagnificentBastard, or anybody else might do this if times get desperate enough. It's especially common in EnemyMine situations, and IfIWantedYouDead is a good way for the trespasser to gain some trust. On the more sinister side, IKnowYouKnowIKnow and ShameIfSomethingHappened can come into play. %%A common variant of this is for the trespassee to be TheAnticipator, and reveal that he knows someone is there.%%
Keep in mind that this trope is not about attacks, ambushes, or abductions. It requires a great deal of stealth to pull off. If a weapon is involved, it must be a scare tactic or backup plan. However, it is definitely possible that this scenario could lead to a fight.
Compare BreakInThreat, OminouslyOpenDoor, VillainOverForDinner.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC: Anime & Manga]]
* Done in ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Chang at the El Baile de la Muerte arc when he waits for the arrival of the Lagoon crew and Fabiola alongside Garcia. This led to a tense standoff before Chang grappled with Fabiola to disarm her.
[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Rorscharch in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' frequently does this, both to his friends and enemies. In one case, leaving a RightBehindYou message in the victim's fridge.
* Franchise/{{Batman}} frequently does this, and he usually uses a StealthHiBye to get away when he's done.
[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'': When the team returns to their office after recovering the Black Box, they find a team of NSA agents waiting for them.
* In ''Film/JackieBrown'', Ordell lurks in Jackie's apartment for one of these conversations.
* ''Film/GetShorty'': Chillie breaks into Karen's house to deliver the shylock message to Harry who's sleeping there -then pitches his movie idea. Karen kicks them both out. The next day she comes home to find Chillie waiting in her house to apologize.
-->Karen: "You broke in to apologize for breaking in before?"
* In ''Film/CloudAtlas'', Luisa Rey returns home only to find someone waiting in the dark of her room. [[spoiler:It's not an enemy though.]]
* At the end of the first ''Film/IronMan'' film, Nick Fury breaks into Tony Stark's house to talk to him about the Avengers Initiative.
** The scene was parodied on RobotChicken where Tony questioned why Nick broke in only to discover that "Nick" was actually a burglar.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', the Joker manages to sneak into a heavily guarded meeting of mob bosses, and makes an offer to kill Batman for them.
* DanielCraig-era JamesBond has made a habit of breaking into M's house/flat/whatever in order to talk with her.
* ''MajorPayne'': After his dinner date with Emily, Payne returns to discover Cadet Stone sitting at his desk, beaten and bruised from where the squad had been ambushed by another school's R.O.T.C. squad... to which Payne was actually the one who gave them the tip.
* In the original ''The Dead Zone'' movie, a journalist comes home at night and finds a local politician sitting at his desk, along with one or two "henchmen". The (crooked) politician wanted to have a chat about an unfavorable editorial about him.
* In ''Film/TheHangover'', the trio come back to their hotel room to find Mike Tyson waiting for them and their explanation as to why they have his tiger.
[[AC: Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** In ''Literature/FoolMoon'', Harry Dresden returns to his office to find [[TheDon John Marcone]] sitting at his desk, waiting to make him [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse a job offer]].
** In ''Literature/GravePeril'', Dresden manages to pull this off on Mortimer by sheer timing. Mort opens the door to his house to lug a suitcase outside, and Harry sidles in unnoticed while he's coming out. Then he sits in a chair and waits for Mort to come back in.
[[AC: Live Action TV]]
* ''[[Series/{{Mash}} M*A*S*H]]'':
** In the episode, "Cowboy", Henry - who is in a really bad mood - enters his office to find Hawkeye waiting for him behind his desk, wanting to discuss given chopper pilot Cowboy a temporary medical discharge. Henry even remarks, "[[SarcasmMode Uh-uh-uh! Don't get up... let me just pretend ''you're'' the one in charge of this nuthouse]]."
** In, "Rally 'Round the Flagg, Boy", Potter walks into his office, with Father Mulcahy in tow, to find Colonel Flagg waiting for them, and neither of them (nor Radar, who was in his outer office the whole) know or can even figure out how Flagg even got in there in the first place.
* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine'': Section 31 officer Sloan's preferred method of meeting/recruiting Bashir seems to be waiting in a chair by Bashir's bed, in the dark, until he wakes up.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. During the first season episode "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk escapes captivity and waits in his captor's office to have a calm, albeit at gunpoint, conversation about the reasons for Kirk's imprisonment.
* ''Series/MythQuest'': Max Asher comes home to find an unknown Chinese businessman sitting in his living room, waiting to talk about their mutual enemy, Gorgos.
* ''Series/DanForMayor'': A while after Claire breaks up with her fiance and he moves out, Claire comes home to find him in her kitchen and he givers her keys back.
* PlayedForLaughs on ''Series/CornerGas''. Local cop Davis is trying to get two of his friends to purchase a home security system. One day, they wake up to find him standing over their bed with a tray. He cheerfully informs them that he could've been a burgular bringing them breakfast. They buy the system just so he'll leave.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In the first season, Darla waits at Angel's house to threaten/seduce him.
* Very common on ''Series/XFiles''.
* A major plot point on ''Series/BreakingBad'', when Walter White confronts Gretchen and Elliot inside their house.
* Such an incident, invoking much FridgeLogic, happens in the pilot episode of ''Series/RobinHood'', wherein Robin sneaks into the Sheriff's castle and wakes him up to deliver a threat. He never makes good on that threat, despite constant and escalating provocation from the Sheriff, and consistent lack of good security in the castle.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': After Moriarty discredits Watson and Sherlock, they break into a reporter's flat who was going to report the story. Once inside, they just sit on her couch until she comes home, at which point they confront her about her sources.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In a season 4 episode, the Winchesters find Castiel and Uriel waiting in their motel room to recruit them for a demon interrogation.
* In Series/AmericanHorrorStory Asylum [[spoiler:Lana]] breaks into Thredson's home and casually lounges on an armchair with a gun awaiting his entrance. It becomes a LightswitchSurprise once he crosses the threshold.
