Line #89 Main/ATruceWhileWeGawk


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10	->''Everyone stopped to blink at that for a second. I mean, come on. Impaled by a guided frozen turkey missile. Even by the standards of the quasi-immortal creatures of the night, that ain't something you see twice. "For my next trick," I panted into the startled silence, "[[AnvilOnHead anvils]]."''
11	-->-- '''Harry Dresden''', ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles: Literature/BloodRites''
12
13	There's a climactic battle going on all around. Suddenly, something happens and ''both sides'' turn and stand around watching in horror or surprise. [[RuleOfFunny They may even exchange glances, shrug, or give up fighting altogether]].
14
15	The results of this trope are usually DelayedReaction, a resumption of hostilities, or total embarrassment.
16
17	Supertrope of BattleHaltingDuel. See also MidBattleTeaBreak, PlayingNiceForNow, ChaosWhileTheyreNotLooking and EnemyMine. Can result in a PassThePopcorn moment. A more humorous take on StoppedDeadInTheirTracks.
18
19	'''Note:''' This trope tends not to cover arguments but does cover fights of all other kinds.
20	----
21	!!Examples:
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Advertising]]
25	* In a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NGN4J6F_vI Volkswagen commercial]], a pair of praying mantises halt their fight to watch a beetle (representing the VW Beetle) cruise by.
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
29	* Mummymon, Arukenimon, Tapirmon and Digitamamon's reaction to Azulongmon appearing in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02''.
30	* In the ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' manga, Scar ends up fighting the entire State Military during his attempt to kill Ed. When Alex Louis Armstrong arrives, randomly ditches his shirt and starts flexing, Lt. Hawkeye, the rest of the soldiers, and even Scar all stop and stare at him in confusion.
31	* During a mission in the Antarctic, Havia and Qwenthur of ''Literature/HeavyObject'' get caught in a firefight. In the course of the firefight a flock of baby penguins runs right in between them. Both sides cease fire to watch, and even cheer on a baby penguin that slips, only to immediately resume combat once the penguins are out of harm's way.
32	* In ''Literature/HighSchoolDXD'', Issei somehow manages [[spoiler:to summon the ''freaking breast god'']]. EVERYONE stops fighting and turns to look at him like he was going crazy.
33	* In ''Anime/{{K}}'', during the final confrontation, when [[spoiler: Shiro regains his memories and his SwordOfDamocles appears magnificently in the sky]], both Scepter 4 and HOMRA members stop fighting and look.
34	* In an episode of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'', the Allies try to sneak attack the Axis on a beach. A minor fight ensues, but the conflict is halted as both sides gawp at [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext a 50-foot-tall Roman Empire rising from the sea to sing about what Heaven is like]].
35	* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
36	** It's a plot point in the climax of the Alabasta arc. After Crocodile gets sent flying, the ongoing civil war pauses for a brief moment, allowing both sides to ''finally'' hear and listen to Vivi's desperate pleas for them to stop fighting.
37	** Towards the conclusion of the Marineford arc, everyone pauses to watch and listen to [[spoiler:Koby's desperate plea to stop all the fighting]]. This serves as an important plot point as without it, [[spoiler:Kizaru would have blasted Law and an unconscious Luffy to kingdom come. Shanks lampshades it as Koby faints, saying how the few seconds of courage the young Marine mustered up changed the fate of the world]].
38	** For a more humorous example, Luffy and Whitebeard exchange words after the former arrives at Marineford. To Ivankov and Buggy's disbelief, Luffy loudly declares to the world's strongest man that ''he's'' going to be the Pirate King, not Whitebeard (or, in the dub, that Whitebeard has to go through him first). Cue a collective JawDrop from all the Marines and pirates in the vicinity as they raise their hands in shock.
39	** ''[[Anime/OnePieceFilmGold Film:Gold]]'' has a moment where Tesoro uses Gold Splash, creating a huge column of gold water. It's distracting enough that Sabo and Lucci, the latter of whom is a BloodKnight who does ''not'' like his fights being interrupted, both stop and stare at it in shock.
40	* In ''Anime/SoundOfTheSky'', "[[AmazingFreakingGrace Amazing Grace]]" is all that is needed to stop [[spoiler: the Helvetican and Roman armies from charging at each other]]. Before they get a chance to resume the battle, [[spoiler:Rio shows up to announce a peace treaty]], and the whole fight is called off.
41	* In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' ''Universal Survival Arc'' and not long after the "Tournament of Power" started. [[spoiler: Universe 9 is erased following the defeat of their warriors. This prompts all the remaining fighters to stop their battles momentarily and react to this, coming to the realization that the Zen-Os were serious about their threat to wipe out the losing universes and will not wait until the tournament is over to do so.]]
42	* ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise''. Open warfare breaks out to prevent the rocket being launched into outer space, but when it does both sides stop fighting to stare in awe.
43	* In ''Literature/AccelWorld'', in the midst of a heated battle, everyone stops when the Black and Yellow kings finally throw down. Justified, in that this was the first instance in the history of the [[BulletTime Accelerated World]] that two [[PersonOfMassDestruction Level 9 players]] had fought with intent to kill.
44	* ''Manga/BadCompany'': [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Sakura]] stops the [[EscalatingBrawl free-for-all brawl]] in the schoolyard by blasting everyone with a hose, though that may have less to do with it than her giving everyone in the yard below a PantyShot.
45	* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', Alucard and Anderson (who were only brought along as the bodyguards of Integra and Maxwell, but whose [[BloodKnight bloodlust]] is overwhelming them) are about to start fighting to the death right in the middle of the public museum the two leaders have arranged to meet in... only for Seras to burst onto the scene, leading a group of elderly Japanese tourists right between the would-be combatants. Some of them even mistake the two monsters, who have stopped still as statues, for some kind of performance art. By the time the tourists are gone, the mood has settled down and Alucard and Anderson back down from each other. Walter gives Seras a thumbs-up for her quick thinking.
46	* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Kyoko and Sayaka stop their first duel to look at Homura, who has arrived to intervene, in shock.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Comic Books]]
50	* In one ComicBook/ArchieComics story, Archie and Reggie are judging a boxing match, proud that they're too civilized to do anything so vulgar as box. They start arguing, and the last panel is the two boxers watching Archie and Reggie beating the crap out of each other.
51	* A one-shot page in a furry comic had the Godzilla fight going on outside a skyscraper window coming to a halt while they ogle the female skunk in the room as she's disrobing and presenting them with a perfect view of her backside in the process.
52	* In ''ComicBook/North40'', a small rural town in the American South has been cut off from the rest of reality and a number of its inhabitants either turned to monsters or granted superpowers (the line can be blurry). The local sheriff (un-mutated) is facing a clan of hostile trailer trash (several mutated, including one who made a Hulk-like transformation, but retained his normal -- which is to say, sub-standard -- intelligence). Both groups are attacked by a scrap-metal construct built by a third party. The Hulk-like character tries to attack the construct, only to be sent flying. The Sheriff and the leader of the trailer trash pause in their dispute to watch him fly by.
53	* During the climactic battle in ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'', the Spider Army and the Inheritors both stop fighting when [[spoiler: The [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Superior Spider-Man]] kills the Master Weaver]].
54	* One of the canine protagonists of ''ComicBook/RoverRedCharlie'' is chased into a deserted military vehicle by another dog, and unintentionally presses his paw against the trigger of an abandoned grenade launcher. He and his pursuer briefly stop and stare in awe at the resulting explosion.
55	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: Part of the reason ComicBook/SteveTrevor gets to kill all of the giant beasts Queen Clea set to kill him on his own is that Diana and Clea are too busy gawking at how efficient he is at it to continue their own fight or interfere with his. Once he's killed the last of them Clea gets her act together and orders her archers to just shoot him, at which point Diana jumps down to help Steve.
56	* When {{Mooks}} sent by International and The Farm duke it out in ''ComicBook/GetJiro'', Jiro tries to calmly diffuse the situation. When an International mook tries to attack him, Jiro manages to [[AnArmAndALeg slice off one of his arms]] with one of his sushi knives faster than the eye could see. The battle grinds to a halt to admire his cutlery skills (having been able to slice the arm off carefully enough not to touch the bone), even allowing the man to bleed out as they do it.
57	* In ''ComicBook/BatmanFortniteZeroPoint'', the other contestants eventually stop fighting when Batman's battles against [[WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero Snake-Eyes]] start heating up. Then again, it's ''[[CoolVersusAwesome Batman vs. Snake-Eyes]]''. Can you blame them?
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
61	* ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' includes one strip in which the participants of the historical (and extremely brutal, no-quarter-given) battle of the Little Big Horn come to a dead stop, waiting for a hornet to calm down.
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Fan Works]]
65	* ''Fanfic/AbsoluteTrust'': In Chapter 2, Zuko's invasion of the South Pole pauses when Alec firebends for the first time. Everyone gapes, including Alec.
66	* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13501363/1/Chaos-Effect Chaos Effect]]'': In Chapter 33, [[SelfInsertFic Edwin]] is in a two-on-one tag duel with [[Manga/YuGiOh Yugi]] against OriginalCharacter Cabal. When Cabal declares an attack that seems to cause a SadisticChoice, Edwin asks if they've ever heard of the [[Franchise/StarTrek Kobayashi Maru]]. Yugi, Cabal, ''and the monsters'' all look at him in befuddlement (the answer is no, they haven't).
67	* In chapters 93-95 of ''Fanfic/AGrowingAffection'', everyone in a certain large battle stops to stare when Minato [[spoiler: (or rather his soul that Orochimaru accidentally summoned)]] announces that he is Naruto's father.
68	* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger:'' During a flashback depicting the final battle between the Revanchists and the Mandalorians on Malachor V, both sides halt their battle and [[MassOhCrap collectively stare at the sky in horror]] when the [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Mass Shadow Generator]] is activated, creating a black hole above the battlefield that starts sucking everything in.
69	* ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'': In Chapter 34, there's a ''large'' battle going on between Sabrina's Psychic-types and every Pokémon Ash has caught up to that point (the rest of them being brought by Dexter with the help of a group of Exeggutor that can use Teleport to level the playing field). The fight briefly stops when Sabrina uses her powers to make Ash float and [[ForcedToWatch forces him to watch]] how she [[SuperMode Mega Evolves her Alakazam]].
70	* ''Fanfic/PrehistoricParkReimagined'': In the Phase 2 finale ''Breakout'', Terrence the T. Rex and Tut the spinosaurus are engaging in a [[SpinosaurusVsTRex vicious battle]], with Mahazatra the majungasaurus eventually joining in on Terrence's behalf, when their battle eventually gets brought to a halt by [[DoofyDodo Uilleam the dodo]] walking up to them while they're fighting and [[FearlessFool fearlessly trying to challenge them to fight against]] ''[[FearlessFool him]]''.
71	* ''Fanfic/RosarioVampireBrightestDarkness Act III'': In chapter 8, Dark is outright trying to murder Tsukune, convinced that Tsukune can't be trusted to keep the ghoul contained, with Mizore and Felucia agreeing with him and fighting Moka and Kokoa to prevent them from intervening. All fighting stops when the edge of the cliff Dark and Tsukune are fighting on gives way, forcing the four girls to drop everything to pull the boys back up... which leads to Dark, Mizore, and Felucia seeing just how durable the Holy Lock is and accepting that the ghoul is indeed sealed away.
72	* In "Strength In Numbers", a story from the ''Fanfic/FacingTheFutureSeries'', the fight between the Far Frozeners and some of Danny's enemies is momentarily stopped when they watch with revulsion as Danny barfs up the excess food he had eaten.
73	* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'':
74	** In Chapter 40, the battle between the Enies Lobby garrison and Galley-La, the Franky Family, the giants and the TDWS pauses when Nami, [[LoudOfWar amped by Soundbite]], proceeds to chew out Cross and Luffy for enjoying the Rocketman ride across to the Tower of Justice.
75	** Also in Chapter 40, [[spoiler: Hattori]] holds off on eviscerating Cross to let him [[EngineeredPublicConfession broadcast Spandam's activation of the Buster Call]] and let the director dig a ''very'' deep hole for himself.
76	* In ''Fanfic/WhatItTakes'', Damien Darhk tosses Laurel off a ledge, and she uses her [[SuperScream Canary Cry]] to slow her descent, landing unharmed in front of several {{Mook}}s. There's then a slight pause as everyone processes what just happened.
77	-->'''Darhk:''' I'll be damned. ''({{Beat}})''. Oh well. Kill her.
78	* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11298331/1/A-different-weasel-makes-a-difference A different weasel makes a difference]]'': At the Great Battle of the Wall, Tyrion Lannister [[spoiler:mortally wounds an Ice Dragon, only for it to slam into the Wall at his position, killing him and making a breach in the Wall]]. For a good 30 seconds afterward, the Others and humans can both only stare in silent shock and horror. Then the battle resumes even more fiercely than before.
79	* ''Webcomic/NaruHinaChronicles'': When Sasuke fights [[spoiler:Evil Sasuke]] for the first time, their fight is interrupted by Naruto making a long speech where he wrongfully guesses who [[spoiler:Evil Sasuke]] is. The latter and Sasuke both end up having the same reaction, which consists of looking slightly chibified, having BlankWhiteEyes, and {{sweat drop}}ping:
80	-->'''[[spoiler:Evil Sasuke]]:''' He still has a talent to annoy I see.\
81	'''Sasuke:''' He has his moments.
82	* ''Fanfic/{{Anyone}}'':
83	** Izuku invokes this trope to stop the battle between [[spoiler:All For One and All Might]] by dropping a crane (the kind that carries containers) between them and [[spoiler:pretend to have been crushed by it]]. It ends the disastrous fight right there and then.
84	** Muscular and Kota both pause in the middle of Muscular trying to murder Kota because [[spoiler:Kurogiri just teleported Izuku fight above Muscular, resulting in him catching Izuku in a bridal carry]]. Muscular and Kota are ''so'' baffled that they resort to politeness.
85	* ''Fanfic/MyDriverAcademia'': Some of the heroes and villains involved in the Kamino raid stop to watch All For One and All Might duke it out. They're just standing together in a corner. One of the villains even admits he doesn't feel like fighting.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
89	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': Near the end, Abu and Iago stop their fighting to gaze in shared disgust at the sight of Jasmine kissing Jafar.
90	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats'': In the climax, Roquefort the mouse is trying to figure out a combination lock to free Duchess and her kittens while the alley cats fight Edgar. As a fight involving five alley cats is naturally loud and impossible to hear lock tumblers over, he [[BigShutUp screams "QUIET!"]] causing everyone to freeze and stare at him until he gets the lock figured out. Even [[SuddenSoundtrackStop the music cuts out]]. The moment the lock is undone, the fight resumes.
91	* ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'': Towards the end, BigBad Yzma tosses [[MinionWithAnFInEvil Kronk]] a dagger and orders him to kill Kuzco and Pacha. Kronk's [[GoodAngelBadAngel shoulder angel and devil]] show up and the three have an argument, but to the other three [[InnerThoughtsOutsiderPuzzlement it looks like Kronk's just talking to thin air]]. Yzma points at him with her thumb giving a "Can you believe this?" face, while Pacha and Kuzco just shrug.
92	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFoxAndTheHound2'': Chief and Todd pause their chase to watch Amos Slade, who has wound up on the back of a cow, in his underwear, covered in mud and with a beehive on his head. Copper joins them to watch the spectacle, all of them sharing glances and a simultaneous "Uh Oh."
93	* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda3'': While Master Shifu and the Furious Five battle against Kai's jombies[[note]]jade zombies[[/note]], Po leaps in to join them, but is so surprised by the jombies that he misses his landing, hits a roof, and falls to the ground. Shifu, the Five, and the jombies all [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kungfupanda/images/f/f0/Fight-paused.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160719015313 stop and stare for a moment]] before resuming their fight.
94	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'': The battle between Simba's pride and Zira's has been raging with the Pridelanders seemingly on the backfoot against the Outsiders. Simba, weakened from an earlier ambush, is being savaged by almost ALL of the Outsiders who’ve been explicitly trained to attack like this by Zira, who then issues her personal challenge to him. Simba doesn't miss the challenge and tosses ALL of the Outsiders off him, swiping at a few more, and is then struck by Zira when he is distracted. This successful attack actually causes Pridelander and Outsider alike to stop what they're doing and gape in shock at the first blow between the two leaders, a successful hit against the seemingly unbeatable Simba, no less. They then form a circle to watch Simba and Zira face off for their final duel, what the entire decades-long feud has been building towards. Luckily, Kiara and Kovu arrive and defuse the stand-off.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
98	* In ''Film/ArmorOfGod II'' this is a running gag. One time, Elsa attempts to distract the bad guys by whipping off Ada's ModestyTowel. Rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to knock the guy out, Jackie and the gunman both stare.
99	* In ''Film/ChildrenOfMen'', the climactic battle grinds to a halt [[spoiler:when the combatants hear the cry of the first child born in two decades.]] The fighting starts again shortly afterward. With a rocket launcher no less.
100	* In ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'' when the Navy starts firing on the gangs. This time the distraction pretty much ends the conflict.
101	* In ''Film/HotShotsPartDeux'':
102	** The captured American commandos and Iraqi soldiers share looks of confusion when Saddam Hussein comes out of his palace firing two machine pistols in random directions and getting into a spat of AmusingInjuries.
103	** Topper is having a shootout with a {{Mook}} when they both pause and look over as the EnergizerBunny enters the battlefield. After a moment, they open fire on the Bunny, celebrate for a moment, then Topper kills the Mook.
104	* In the film adaptation of ''Film/TheIndianInTheCupboard'', Omri tests the cupboard's powers by animating several iconic pop-culture plastic figures, including a ''Franchise/JurassicPark'' T-rex and [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]]. When the cupboard is opened, we see the characters engaged in combat... until they notice the comparatively giant-sized boy sitting there, stop fighting, and stare. Omri quickly slams the door shut again, changing them back before anything can happen.
105	* Near the end of the first Indiana Jones movie, ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', Indy and the truck driver cease hostilities for just long enough to steer away from a home construction site, and exchange a brief chuckle before resuming the fight.
106	* ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing'': Louise and Maria's CatFight ends when the oil they both want starts to spill out of the well and they stare in surprise for a few seconds before collapsing from exhaustion.
107	* ''Film/TheMummyReturns'': When Imhotep and Rick are fighting, the two lock blades as they watch the Scorpion King arrive.
108	* In ''Film/TheNakedGun 2½: The Smell of Fear '', Drebin is fighting an assassin in Jane's bathroom, then they notice Jane in the shower and both stop to gawk at her.
109	%%** In the [[Film/TheNakedGun first one]], the "hill of beans" speech.
110	* ''Film/OSS117CairoNestOfSpies'': 117 has just left a HoneyPot tied up in her underwear in the villain's lair, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnqczbKNrVo but runs into two mooks as he opens the door]]. One says "What's this, infidel, leaving without saying goodbye?". 117 tries talking his way out of it, but it becomes obvious the mooks are [[DistractedByTheSexy staring at the girl and just repeat the same sentences]]. 117 pushes past them... and is immediately punched out by a third mook who couldn't see her.
111	* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''
112	** ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest Dead Man's Chest]]'' - [[BumblingHenchmenDuo Pintell and Ragetti]] snatch the chest containing Davy Jones's heart while Jack, Will and Norrington have their MeleeATrois. Then they run into Elizabeth, go "Ello, poppet," and advance on her - only to pause as Will and Norrington ''roll past on a dislodged waterwheel'' (still dueling), with Jack running after them. Ragetti stares at Pintel, who [[GivingUpOnLogic just shrugs]], and they go back to business - until Davy Jones's crew shows up. ''Then'' they give Elizabeth their swords [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere and run]].
113	*** A little later in the battle, there was another pause when the wheel - now containing Norrington and Will - came crashing on the beach. Even ''Davy Jones's men'' paused to gawk at the sight.
114	** At the beginning of ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd At World's End]]'', Captain Barbossa and an Army mook briefly gape with swords crossed when a firework shoots directly between them. Barbossa snaps out of it first and [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice runs the man through]].
115	* In the [[JustifiedExtraLives first]] climax of ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', Knives dives into the scene to [[spoiler:attack not Gideon, but ''Ramona'', for breaking Scott's heart]]. Scott and [[spoiler:Gideon]] just stop to watch them fight for a few moments before resuming their own fight.
116	--> [[spoiler:'''Gideon:''']] You gotta admit I put on a good show.
117	* In ''Film/SlapShot'' the Charlestown Chiefs and the Syracuse Bulldogs are having a bench clearing brawl, which comes to a screeching halt when The Chief's Ned Braden skates to center ice and starts stripping down to his jockstrap and skates, as "The Stripper" plays from the broadcast booth. Both teams stop fighting where they stand and just gawk in bemusement.
118	* ''Film/UndercoverBrother''. While the title character is fighting a couple of {{mook}}s, [[CatFight Sista Girl and White She-Devil]] start ripping each others' clothes off and end up showering together. UB and the mooks stop fighting, [[MaleGaze sit down together]] [[PassThePopcorn and enjoy the show]].
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Literature]]
122	* ''Literature/ApocalypseMe'': In Chapter 80, a fight between Zeke and Ryan is interrupted by the System making a box:
123	--> Both Zeke and Ryan stared at [the System Box], surprised.
124	* In the ''Literature/DeptfordMice'' prequel book ''The Oaken Throne'', there is a war between the bats and squirrels. Vespertilio (a bat) and Ysabelle (a squirrel) have discovered that the fighting is based on lies, and along the way have [[InterspeciesRomance fallen for one another]]. To get the opposing sides to listen to them, they share a BigDamnKiss which causes their respective armies to stop and stare in [[FantasticRacism disgusted horror]].
125	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', the game is nearly over anyway (just not ''officially'' over; the Dean hasn't blown his whistle) when the sudden appearance of [[OddJobGods Pedestriana]] stops everyone in their tracks. Even ''Andy'' stops, though he [[MuggingTheMonster makes the unwise choice to resume hostilities afterwards]].
126	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Literature/BloodRites'', in the middle of a battle with vampires, Harry redirects an [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident entropy curse]] directed at him into one of them, which results in the vampire being abruptly squashed flat by a [[ItMakesSenseInContext frozen turkey fallen from a passing plane.]] ''[[ExaggeratedTrope And then the timer dings.]]'' The participants in the fight all stop to stare in confused silence because, "Even by the standards of the quasi-immortal creatures of the night, that ain't something you see twice." Although Harry still keeps his wits about him enough to come up with a ''really'' good BondOneLiner:
127	--> "For my next trick, [[AnvilOnHead anvils.]]"
128	* ''Literature/TheEmperorsGift'': The fighting between the surviving Space Wolves and [[spoiler:Grey Knights]] aboard the ''Corel's Hope'' is brought to an end when everyone present falls to their knees in awe at the appearance of the [[ManInTheMachine Dreadnought]] Bjorn the Fell-Handed, one of the few people in the galaxy to have met the GodEmperor of the [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 Imperium]].
129	* ''Literature/HaloGhostsOfOnyx'' features a scene where the Elite and Brute Covenant fleets are bitterly duking it out above Delta Halo, while simultaneously battling the Flood which are trying to escape Delta Halo so they can spread back into the galaxy. At one point, one of the Covenant ships gets infected and hijacked, ramming itself into another Covenant ship to try and infect it as well. Almost immediately, ''every single Brute and Elite ship'' turns their guns on the infected cruiser, momentarily forgetting their quarrel to ensure [[TheDreaded the Flood]] do not spread any further. The ship that was rammed even ''[[HeroicSacrifice lowers its shields]]'' to allow itself to be destroyed by the combined armada. Once the immediate threat is finished, however, the Brutes and Elites go right back to fighting.
130	* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' this happens [[spoiler:near the end when Ron, who is befuddled by a spell, picks up a floating brain from a tank and everyone turns to watch in horror]].
131	* In ''Literature/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon'' A brief one occurs in episode 12 when Hestia releases her goddess form. Both Bell's companions, and the hostile adventurers they were fighting, stop fighting when they see her transform. The hostile group then runs away, not wanting to provoke Hestia.
132	* This happens during the rock fight in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{IT}}'': all of the kids (RagtagBunchOfMisfits and JerkJock[=s=] alike) stop fighting and turn to watch Victor Criss and [[TheHero Bill Denbrough]] start a dual rock-throwing UnflinchingWalk towards one another. Even ''[[AxCrazy Henry]]'' pauses to watch.
133	* In the scene "What A Game" of ''Literature/{{Ragtime}}'' the Braves and Giants fans suddenly stop their confrontation when something exciting happens on the baseball field. The confrontation is not yet physical, but it is implied that it is approaching physicality.
134	* Happens occasionally in ''Literature/TalesOfTheBranionRealm'', usually when an AnimalBattleAura appears over the battlefield or an AngstNuke knocks both sides off their feet.
135	* In the climax of ''Literature/TheWayOfKings2010'', Kaladin [[GravityMaster pulls an entire volley of arrows into his shield]]. Both his bridge crew and the Parshendi are so stunned they stop what they're doing in the middle of the battle, and the Parshendi archers [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere abruptly retreat]]
136	* ''Literature/ArifuretaFromCommonplaceToWorldsStrongest'': In volume 4, this is the immediate reaction of Cattleya and the hero party she's about to finish off when the spike from Hajime's Pile Bunker crashes through the ceiling of the room [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice and two of Catt's chimeras]].
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
140	* In ''Series/BandOfBrothers'', when Spiers makes a suicidal run through Foy to make contact with I Company, both sides stop firing for a brief moment simply because [[RefugeInAudacity they couldn't believe what they were seeing.]]
141	* In the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode "Anne", Buffy's fight with the demons is interrupted by the head demon holding a knife to Lilly. He announces that their fight is lost and he'll kill Lilly to make an example. Lilly pushes him off a high platform instead. Buffy and the demons look at him as he falls and a beat later the main fight resumes.
142	* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': "[[Recap/CSINYS06E20 Tales from the Undercard]]" opens with a massive fight between striking construction workers and scabs, which ends prematurely when a jackhammer pierces recently laid concrete that a man had been buried in, causing blood to shoot up and drench two brawlers, who immediately cease fighting.
143	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield "Battlefield"]] (the Myth/KingArthur one), there's a moment in Mordred and Ancelyn's final duel where they break apart for a moment -- and the Doctor [[http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view/160734/doctor-who-battlefield-o.gif walks right between them,]] casually tipping his hat as he passes, on his way to his own final confrontation with Morgaine. Mordred and Ancelyn stare after him for a moment before remembering that they were in the middle of fighting to the death.
144	* ''Series/KamenRiderDragonKnight'': A fight between [[NaiveNewcomer Kit]] and [[UnwittingPawn Chris]] is briefly broken up by [[ShellshockedVeteran Len]] and [[ClearMyName Brad]] barreling through the background, distracting them. Kit using that oppurtunity to tell off Chris for having a very convoluted idea about the situation before running off after the other two riders.
145	* ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'': When it turns out that [[spoiler: Kuroto]] has [[TheVirus Game Disease]] even though he should [[SpannerInTheWorks be immune]] to it, [[FallenHero Taiga]], [[BrokenAce Hiiro]] and [[PsychopathicManchild Parado]] all stop fighting and stare. Then Parado [[AttentionDeficitOhShiny gets bored]] and disappears.
146	* A staple of ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' due to the overall ridiculousness easily truncing anyone's effort to concentrate or stay serious. For example, the fight between [[TheHero Kaito]] and [[TheRival Stacy]] is put to a pause when [[SixthRanger Zocks]] waltzes in for the first time, because neither of them expected a singing, dancing pirate to pop out of [[OutsideContextProblem nowhere]].
147	** [[MonsterOfTheWeek Retro World]] and the team stare at Zocks as he goes through the motion of his usual incessantly showy pre-transformation dance and song without realizing that his [[TransformationTrinket Geardalinger]] got [[ItMakesSenseInContext turned into wooden ship's wheel]] by the World's first attack. Then when it (obviously) doesn't work, he [[DelayedReaction freaks out]] and the World uses the following chaos to escape.
148	* There's a scene in ''Series/TheWire'' where Chris and Snoop, the most lethal enforcers for the Stanfield gang that owns West Baltimore, come to intimidate the leader of a rival gang into becoming part of their organization. In the middle of this, a sixth grader suddenly rides past in an expensive SUV that he stole, music blaring from the windows as he rolls past, barely able to see over the steering wheel. Everyone takes a couple of moments to stare before getting back to business.
149	[[/folder]]
150
151	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
152	* During the 2016 Wrestling/RoyalRumble, [[Wrestling/RonKillings R-Truth]] made his entrance into the ring ''after'' inexplicably pulling out a ladder from under the canvas, [[ComicallyMissingThePoint evidently confused as to what kind of match he was joining]] and [[WrongGenreSavvy thinking it was a ladder match]]. As R-Truth set the ladder up in the middle of the ring, every other wrestler stopped what they were doing to stare in confusion, trying to figure out what he was even trying to accomplish -- [[TheDitz it was only when he realized there was no briefcase waiting for him]] and he climbed down that Wrestling/{{Kane}} tossed him out for the elimination.
153	[[/folder]]
154
155	[[folder:Toys]]
156	* In one ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' story, Toa Ignika uses the Mask of Life's power on Makuta Icarax during a heated battle in a cave, devolving the Makuta from an EnergyBeing in armor back into a bio-mechanical life-form. However, Icarax's armor is only designed to hold energy. So when muscles and organs grow back in a body that was never meant for them, the end result is, to say the least, [[BodyHorror not fun for Icarax]], whose howls of agony halt every other combatant in their tracks. As the narration notes: "No one could remember the last time they heard a Makuta scream."
157	[[/folder]]
158
159	[[folder:Video Games]]
160	* The various mutant gangs of ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'' will more than happily fight each other on the occasions you meet them together, but pulling off a particularly brutal skillshot will cause them ''all'' to stop and stare at the carnage for a moment.
161	* In ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', if you finish the final level on Legendary you are treated to a marine sergeant and an elite grappling over a rifle... till the Pillar of Autumns [[NukeEm generators go up.]] The two fighters simply break apart and stare, before [[SecurityCling hugging each other]].
162	-->'''Johnson:''' This is it, baby. Hold me.
163	* Happens toward after the final fight of ''VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander'' where [[spoiler:Vegar and Jak gawk at the revelation that the Precursors are actually ottsels.]] The fight does not restart.
164	-->'''Jak:''' Oh my ''God.''
165	* In the fourteenth chapter of ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'', the air battle consists of surviving a war between the Underworld Army, led by Thanatos, and the Forces of Nature, led by Phosphora. Although for the part, the {{Mooks}} are all "out for blood - each other's AND [Pit's]," about halfway into Pit's flight segment, you can see a trio of Monoeyes and a trio of Nutskis stop firing and just watch the flirty lightning chick and the [[PowerGlows glow dragon]] trade the last few blows. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential This makes them easy picking if you can shoot them before Phosphora finishes off Thanatos]]. [[note]]For reasons unknown, the six of them vanish when the camera zooms in on the finisher and then zooms back out.[[/note]]
166	* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'' kicks off with the final battle between every good and evil character introduced in the series up to that point. Out of nowhere the Pyramid of Argus rises from the battlefield leaving everyone to stop and stare as if mesmerized. Stryker punches out Mileena who was still gawking and begins the mad rush to the top to claim the ultimate power. An interesting question is how did any of the present fighters know what was at the top?
167	* Happens in the opening FMV of ''VideoGame/PacManWorld2''. The ghosts are playing with the Golden Fruit (which they just plucked off the tree), then the fun and games turns to an argument, then horseplay... then Clyde just stands there, eyes and mouth wide with terror, as [[BigBad Spooky]] emerges from under the tree. The rest of the ghosts stop fighting and gawp, paralyzed with fear.
168	* During the third boss battle of ''VideoGame/PizzaTower'', Peppino and The Noise temporarily stop their battle to see The Noise's giant balloon flying towards the arena, both of them screaming when it gets real close.
169	* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' has this occur in the second mission of Bianco Hills ("Down With Petey Piranha!") just before the boss battle with the titular [[GiantMook giant piranha plant]]. Mario climbs to the roof of a windmill, where Petey Piranha is polluting the surrounding area with goop. Petey roars a MightyRoar at Mario, setting the stage for a boss battle... only for the roof to promptly crack beneath their combined weight. [[OhCrap The two suddenly look down]], then [[ThisIsGonnaSuck slowly share a worried glance with each other]] before the roof collapses beneath them. The actual fight takes place inside the windmill itself.
170	* One of the trailers from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' recreates the pivotal scene from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' where Corrin is forced to choose which of the two families to join in battle. [[TakeAThirdOption He instead opts to join Smash Bros.]], prompting WhatTheHellHero from both families, asking why he is abandoning the war to fight these strange opponents. Not long into the trailer, though, both sides begin speaking in awe over Corrin's various powers, the presence of other ''Fire Emblem'' heroes, and even Corrin's abrupt gender change. By the end of the trailer, they are all but conversing casually, and it seems that the imminent battle between two armies has been forgotten.
171	* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}''
172	** Happens to a combating Orc and Human in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f96hKqkY_Y this]] ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' intro... Until they're both killed by what they're gawking at.
173	** And again in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvYXoyxLv64 trailer]] for ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft: Mists of Pandaria''(About 2:25), when Chen Stormstout interrupts the fight. Human even hands the orc his weapon so both are armed. A Later [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jon4GV1u3uM follow up video]] shows two still in shock over what they witnessed. As they put it, a "Bear in a hat".
174	* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' in the mission "High Noon", [[spoiler: Hernandez charges at Pulaski while he's forcing Carl to dig his own grave, causing Pulaski to instinctively turn and shoot him. Both Pulaski and Carl pause to stare in confusion as Hernandez falls into the grave before Pulaski runs, starting the gameplay.]]
175	* ''VideoGame/Battlefield2042'' has one at the end of its [[https://youtu.be/ASzOzrB-a9E Reveal Trailer]] when the US and Russian forces in Incheon immediately stop fighting when they saw an incoming tornado and decided that they better evacuate the area as fast as they could.
176	* Short DeconstructionGame ''VideoGame/WeBecomeWhatWeBehold'' has one of these as [[spoiler: the man in the bowler hat pulls a gun on the spiky-haired square man. The player [[SoundOnlyDeath hears the gunshot]] behind the [[FramingDevice pop-up photo they take]], then both sides [[AxCrazy rip each other to shreds]].]]
177	[[/folder]]
178
179	[[folder:Web Animation]]
180	* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', the red and blue grunts' epic fight is interrupted by a red announcing he has the blue flag and that all should [[AGodAmI bow down and worship him]]. A group of blues beat him to death. A beat later, war resumes.
181	[[/folder]]
182
183	[[folder:Webcomics]]
184	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Mid-combat, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070101 when the circus wagons come to life]], there's a good pause where Wooster and Dupree just gawk.
185	* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': In [S] Caliborn: Enter, PM and Jack Noir stop for a moment to survey the foreboding cracks in reality.
186	* An early ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' arc is titled "Game Called On Account Of Naked Chick", which starts when a fight between Torg and Bun Bun comes to an abrupt end when they stumble into a lake where Oasis is bathing.
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:Web Original]]
190	* In one of his ''WebVideo/CounterMonkey'' videos entitled The Jedi Hunter, Spoony recounts how after he [[ManOnFire set a Sith lord on fire]] with his flamethrower the rest of the party and the Sith they were fighting stopped briefly as the burning, screaming Sith lord ran past them.
191	* Used several times in the ''Website/ChannelAwesome'' anniversary crossovers:
192	** In the ''WebVideo/TGWTGYearOneBrawl'', WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick and That Chick with the Goggles get into a {{catfight}} offscreen. While this is going on, [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] and WebVideo/BennettTheSage, who were about to fight each other as well, decide to take pictures of the catfight instead.
193	** In ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights'', WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows ends up [[BlindMistake fighting an inanimate pole]] and eventually falls over from disorientation thanks to his eye-covering costume. One of the Cloaks and WebVideo/FilmBrain stop their own fight for a moment to watch.
194	[[/folder]]
195
196	[[folder:Western Animation]]
197	* In the ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'' homage to ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', Dodgers and the evil sorcerer Achoo are squaring off when a monkey wearing lederhosen shows up and starts dancing around. Dodgers and Achoo stop for a moment and begin discussing whether or not the monkey is there to build tensions.
198	* ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'': During the battle between Adam's Exorcists and the Demons in the episode, ''The Show Must Go On'', Lucifer tries to tell Adam he's going to "fuck him up" for hurting his daughter, Charlie. But instead, he says that he's "[[ThatCameOutWrong going to]] ''[[ThatCameOutWrong fuck you!]]''". The ''entire battle'' comes to a temporary halt just to show everyone reacting to what Lucifer just said, with either confusion or amusement:
199	-->'''Valentino:''' [[GuyOnGuyIsHot Well, this just got interesting]]...
200	** What's even better is that Charlie has to correct her dad's remark, while the latter doesn't even process what he actually said:
201	--->'''Charlie:''' It's fuck you ''up'', Dad.\
202	'''Lucifer:''' Wait, what did I say?
203	* In the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "Nerds of a Feather", a fight between fantasy and sci-fi enthusiasts at a FanConvention gets momentarily derailed as they all stop and stare at Candace, who is wearing a full body [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Ducky Momo]] costume, as she awkwardly waddles and quacks her way through the middle of the melee.
204	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': During the FoodFight scene of the episode "Little Dude", a Football player pulls Tommy from under a table. [[BigBrotherInstinct Ramon]] calls out "Hold it!" which stops the fight, takes Tommy and leaves the cafeteria while everyone looks at them. Once he's safe in the exit, he says "OK", and the food fight immediately resumes.
205	* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'':
206	** In the "Return to New York" arc of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 the 2003 series]], Baxter Stockman shows up in a HumongousMecha during the confrontation between the turtles and Splinter, and Shredder's forces. He takes a ludicrous amount of damage, but just keeps coming back, leading to this exchange:
207	--->'''Leonardo:''' What do we have to do to stop this guy?\
208	'''Shredder:''' I have asked myself that question many times...
209	** Another instance of this (between the turtles and the Kraang) occurs in [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 the 2012 series]], when Spider Bytez makes his debut.
210	** In another [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 2012]] example, the fight between the Turtles, Dogpound, Fishface, and the Foot is halted when Pulverizer/Timothy douses himself with mutagen. They all stop and stare in horror as he turns into the Mutagen Man, with several Foot Ninjas dropping the fight right then and running.
211	* In the ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' episode "Operation: C.A.K.E.D.-F.I.V.E.", Numbuh 86 and BigBad Father share a laugh at the expense of a FishOutOfTemporalWater.
212	-->'''Father:''' Hey! Nineteenth century kid! You wanna watch a car'''TOON'''? On the '''''TELEVISION?!'''''
213	[[/folder]]
214
215	[[folder:Real Life]]
216	* When a total eclipse of the sun occurred while Lydia and Media were fighting a battle in Ancient Greece, both commanders recognized the wrath of the gods when they saw it. They signed a peace treaty, went home and never waged war against each other again. Thanks to the eclipse and us knowing where the battle took place, this is actually the earliest historic event that can be dated to an exact day: it was May 28, 585 BCE.
217	* During the Battle of the Nile, the French flagship ''Orient'' exploded due to fire reaching its magazines. For the next ten minutes, firing ceased as sailors were too busy either dousing fires on their own ships or staring in utter horror at seeing what had become of the ''Orient''.
218	* One source claims that in an aerial battle over Germany, a B-17 pilot attempted to bail out. His parachute got snagged in an aircraft and he was basically being dragged behind the plane. The writer recalls the entire battle coming to a stop while people stared in horror, until a fighter pilot put him out of his misery.
219	* The Mount Vesuvius Eruption of March 1944 (its last at the time of this writing). Fighting (at least on the ground) around Naples came to a halt as both sides (Germans and Americans & British) watched the event in amazement and horror.
220	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ATruceWhileWeGawk