[[quoteright:348:[[Webcomic/ElGoonishShive https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_20030704_bnhz.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:348:Transformed Susan is [[DistractedByMyOwnSexy a little too fascinated]] with her reflection.]]
%%
->'''Professor Dr.:''' Breaking a hypnotic trance by sharp shock to the feminine self-esteem. Novel concept.\\
'''Snuka:''' But effective!
-->-- ''The [[Webcomic/TheBMovieComic B-Movie Comic]]'', [[https://bmoviecomic.com/timely-rescue-chapter-1-strip-76/ "Revenge of Rutentuten #76"]]

Apparently, a strong emotional reaction is enough to break [[HypnotizeTheCaptive hypnotism]], [[{{Brainwashed}} brainwashing]], amnesia, or just plain depression.

When something (or [[{{Villains}} someone]]) has entranced one of the heroes, they'll often be in a hurry to get the victim moving. Fortunately, friends, teammates and co-workers often have [[VitriolicBestBuds a talent for making each other angry]].

For some reason, that's especially true if they're [[OppositesAttract completely different from each other]] and have been repeatedly forced by circumstances to endure each other's company...

Warning! The victim will remember the insult, and it probably won't be erased by having saved them. Be prepared for a (potentially violent) backlash unless you explain yourself. Heck, the backlash could be immediate if this trope involves hitting a BerserkButton.

Even MoreThanMindControl isn't always enough to resist this. However, they can't be Insulted Awake if they're really NotBrainwashed.

A subtrope of IShallTauntYou, which covers deliberately insulting someone for any of a variety of tactical reasons.

----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'':
** Subverted when Reo's ritual accidentally causes Shirogane to start suffering DeathByDespair. She and Suzu try to do perverted things for him to come to his senses and complain about. It turns out Shirogane doesn't like being a StraightMan enough for it to resolve his existential crisis, especially when [[HeyThatsMyLine Matsuri ends up doing it for him]].
--->'''Shirogane''': I'm useless... I'm just trash that can't even give a good scolding!
** Played straight later on when Kanade starts SharingABody with Shirogane. Matsuri asks what happens to his consciousness when Kanade is in charge right before [[FunbagAirbag Suzu lands breast-first in Matsuri's face]], and Shirogane takes back over to shame them.
* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlrOExcV7xo this special]] of ''Literature/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts'', Yoshii wakes up Princess Minami this way by [[ACupAngst pointing out her underdeveloped chest region]].
* ''Manga/DGrayMan'': The only way to wake up Komui Lee is to tell him "Lenalee (his sister) is getting married". This will either wake him in a state of profound grief that she didn't tell him, or will wake him instantly, fully alert.
* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'': Kakeru wakes up the one-quarter awake Yuki by commenting that he was probably "brought up as a spoiled little rich girl." Since Yuki is also deceptively strong when he's sleeping, it backfired slightly.
* Played with in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': Ed is unintentionally awakened by train hijackers referring to him as [[BerserkButton runt]]. In a fit of rage, he wipes the floor with every bandit in the train car. Afterward, he has no idea what is going on, and asks who the unconscious bandit he's holding by the collar is. Turns out that he was just subconsciously reacting to the word "runt".
* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'': [[MoeAnthropomorphism England]] is dying, with [[LoveFreak America]] by his side tearing up and whispering his name while the GrimReaper stands behind him. As England gives his "I never hated you" speech to America, which is cut short by his apparent death, it takes America a few seconds before patting the grim reaper on the back and saying [[MoodWhiplash "He's FINALLY dead!"]] It turns out to be a way to bring him back from death's door.
* In ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', Miu has been driven into a berserk rage state from thinking [[spoiler: than Shou Kanou has killed her friends in the Shinpaku Alliance]]. Kenichi tries to [[CooldownHug hold her]] and talk her down, but repeatedly gets beaten up for trying. Eventually he uses [[DirtyOldMan Ma Kensei's Shock Technique]] ... which consists of grabbing her by the hooters. She ''immediately'' goes from silently trying to kill everyone near her to slapping Kenichi and berating him for being a pervert.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Medabots}}'', Ikki uses this to kick-start Metabee near the start of the series. [[spoiler: After Metabee is kidnapped and his medal used in a doomsday device, Ikki manages to wake him up using the same tactic.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Subverted when Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji are fighting [[spoiler: a resurrected Asuma]]. Choji is going through a HeroicBSOD because he doesn't want to hit [[spoiler: Edo-Tensei!Asuma]] until he calls him [[BerserkButton fat]]. It still doesn't work.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': At one point, [[BigEater Luffy]], [[BloodKnight Zoro]] and [[ChivalrousPervert Sanji]] are all put into comas when their shadows are stolen by the BigBad of the arc. To wake them up all up at once, Usopp shouts that a [[ChivalrousPervert beautiful lady]] [[BloodKnight swordswoman]] has boarded the ship with [[BigEater lots and lots of meat.]]
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'':
** In an early arc, Ranma manages to cure Akane of a Shampoo-induced memory loss technique that made her forget him by insulting her so much she gets mad and goes after him. In the anime, his dad even has it repeating on a large stereo and does some freestyle [=DJing=] with it.
** Akane insults Ranma to wake him up from unconsciousness after he [[TakingTheBullet takes the brunt]] of an attack that slammed him into a wall [[MadeOfIron hard enough to shatter every bone in a normal person's body.]]
---> '''Akane:''' [[DudeShesLikeInAComa Ranma?]] [[PleaseWakeUp Ranma, wake up!]] You didn't… you didn't need to save me… ''RANMA YOU IDIOT!!''\\
''[snap]''\\
'''Ranma:''' [[GoodThingYouCanHeal Who are you calling an idiot?!]] I save you and this is the thanks I get?!
* In the ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}} Reload'' manga, [[spoiler: Hazel Grosse]] is possessed by [[spoiler: a demon who has resided in him most of his life]]. Hakkai, who has never gotten along with [[spoiler:Hazel]] very well, proceeds to repeatedly taunt him about how weak he must be to allow this to be happening, until [[spoiler:Hazel]] is provoked into taking back control.
* In ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'', hearing his EmbarrassingNickname brought Barnaby to his senses, though this was unintentional; Kotetsu didn't even think he'd hear it. When it seemed impossible to stop Barnaby's [[SuperStrength super]]-[[SuperSenses powered]] attack, his partner Kotetsu muttered in despair "Bunny", which at last worked. Cue the usual "My name is not Bunny, it's Barnaby."
* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'': The edited-for-TV dub has Yusuke claiming he got awakened in the Dark Tournament (and for reference, he'd been sleeping through the cruise to the island venue--a fight in itself--and the first three fights) by Chu's trash talking. As the unedited version reveals, it was really the booze on his breath, which was an insult in itself because it reminded him of his [[LadyDrunk alcoholic mother]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In the ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' story "[[Recap/TintinDestinationMoon Destination Moon]]", Captain Haddock cures Professor Calculus' accidental amnesia by complaining about "acting the goat", a remark that had earlier served as a BerserkButton for Calculus. This is completely by accident because this time Haddock is not even calling Calculus a goat, but ''himself'' for [[BedsheetGhost dressing as a ghost]].
-->'''Calculus:''' ''[chasing Captain Haddock around a table]'' An apology! I demand an immediate apology!\\
'''Haddock:''' Help!... Help!... He's cured!
* ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'' #3 has the Joker given a radical form of shock treatment that renders him non-violent, good natured, and even affectionate to Comicbook/HarleyQuinn. She can't stand him being this way, and declares that she is leaving him for Batman. Whereupon Joker snaps back to his usual psychopathic self and declares that he'll just have to rip Batman's lungs out.
* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'':
** Rung suffers a gunshot wound to the head, and is rendered comatose. Although the physical damage has been repaired, he still won't wake up. After spending three issues engaging in cognitive therapy by telling him a story fails, Skids tries one more thing: pushing Rung's BerserkButton by intentionally getting his name wrong. Rung immediately wakes up to correct him.
** Not exactly an insult, but a prose story from Rung's point of view written later tells of another attempt to awaken him; have [[MotorMouth Swerve]] talk to him endlessly. Despite having basically no brain activity, Rung nevertheless managed to put a finger to Swerve's lips in a desperate attempt to shut him up. At hour 147.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
* In ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'', Hermione restores Harry to normal after a Dementor assault by kissing him. His first words upon his return to normal are (outraged): "I SAID NO KISSING!"
* In the ''Fanfic/MGLNCrisis'', Signum uses this method when Fate is depressed over [[spoiler:Arf making a HeroicSacrifice for her]], claiming that Fate is a pitiful [[spoiler:master to Arf]]. The two fight for several hours, and it ends with Signum telling Fate to "Mourn her passing, but don't betray the meaning of [[spoiler:her sacrifice]]."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/MysteryMen'', Mr. Furious is depressed and doubting his powers. His teammates try to rekindle his anger by insulting him, with jibes like "Your penmanship is atrocious" and "You dress in the manner of a male prostitute." It doesn't work.
* In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', John Connor breaks down after being teargassed and insists he isn't the future leader of the resistance and just wants to be left alone. The T-800 grabs him by the throat, lifts him off the ground and tells him he's right, but then admits he did it because "anger is more useful than despair".
* Whenever Film/TheThreeStooges try to sleep, they do something to Moe's discomfort. He usually slaps them and commands "Hey! Wake up and go to sleep!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In one of the ''[[Literature/BetsyTheVampireQueen Undead And]]'' novels by Mary Janice Davidson, in order to get Betsy out of a near-comatose state, Eric (her fiance) shouts, "I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot go through with the wedding!" She snaps and begins to yell at him before realizing what he was trying to do.
* A rather creepy scene in an ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'' book involves a female character trying to do this by insulting the masculinity of a (rather macho) mind-control victim, only to be told "Don't try to provoke me."
* ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'' has Sousuke do this to [[spoiler:Kaname Chidori]] in the final novel. Interestingly, what really works isn't the curse-laden tirade he goes on, but his insinuation that [[spoiler:she's too gutless and weak to resist Sofia's MindControl, which pretty much gets Kaname's dander up.]]
* ''Literature/TheLockedTomb: Literature/GideonTheNinth'': Inverted. Palamedes wakes up Harrow by calling ''himself'' the greatest necromancer of their generation. Harrow, who has been operating on little food and less sleep for three days straight, who was found unconscious in a cocoon of necromantic bone she wove around herself for safety, wakes up just long enough to sass him.
* In ''Literature/ThePerilousGard'' [[spoiler: the main character Kate uses this to save Christopher from becoming a HumanSacrifice.]]
* In ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'', [[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends Thomas the Tank Engine]]'s EstablishingCharacterMoment sees him pulling one of these on Gordon.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Exploited in an episode of ''Series/{{Community}}'' when the group fell asleep studying for finals and Jeff needs to wake up [[RacistGrandpa Pierce]] as quickly as possible:
-->'''Jeff:''' "Discrimination lawsuit".\\
'''Pierce:''' ''(instantly)'' Preposterous!
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "This Side of Paradise", the ship's crew falls under the influence of spores from an alien plant and stop caring about their duties and responsibilities. Kirk snaps out of it and thereby discovers that strong negative emotions can counteract the spores' effect. He then insults Spock to the point where it drives Spock into a rage. Of course, despite being armed and ready (or so he believed...), Kirk finds out very soon [[BewareTheNiceOnes just how bad an idea it is to actually make a Vulcan angry.]] For reference, the normally pacifistic Vulcan manages to bend the steel bar Kirk is using to hold him at bay, swats the trained expert fighter across the room with little effort, and almost kills him with his bare hands before coming to his senses just in time.
-->'''Kirk:''' Believe me, Mr Spock, it was painful...''(wincing)'' in more ways than one.
* Also happened in one ''Series/SledgeHammer'' episode, when all the policemen except for the choleric boss have become totally apathetic.
* On an episode of ''Series/{{JAG}}'', a Marine in a coma is awoken by an angry bedside tirade from his Drill Sergeant.
* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' does this in reverse - Ziva manages to restore Gibbs' memory by grabbing his hand and inflicting his trademark DopeSlap on herself.
* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', when Wash is starting to lose it under ColdBloodedTorture, Mal just escalates the argument they've been having all episode.
* An episode of ''Series/FullHouse'' featured Joey listening to self-help tapes and being so into them that the only way to snap him out of it was to pull back his headphones and insult him.
* [[Series/TopGearUK Jeremy Clarkson]] ''claims'' that the first real sign of life from co-presenter Richard Hammond after his accident was when he visited him in hospital and told him that the reason he was in that state was because he was a crap driver. Apparently Hammond smiled.
* Subverted in an episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' when Cox demonstrates that an elderly man is comatose by leaning in close: "Eisenhower was a sissy."
* Colonel Sheppard uses this approach on Rodney [=McKay=] in ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' to determine whether Rodney is ignoring him because he's too engrossed in his research, or because he hasn't recovered enough from his hearing loss earlier in the episode.
-->''Sheppard:'' Canadian football is a joke. ''({{beat}})'' Music/CelineDion is overrated. ''({{beat}})'' Zelenka is smarter than [[InsufferableGenius you]] are.
* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' In "Reese Joins the Army" (the season 5 finale), the combination of Reese's disappearance (partly Malcolm's fault) and Hal getting framed, arrested and tried for a serious crime he had no part in causes [[SanitySlippage Lois to undergo a mental breakdown]], whereby she, [[ControlFreak now confronted with an issue that she cannot control]], retreats into her own fantasy of a family of pigs that she crafts from discarded milk jugs, flooding her bedroom with them. However, when Malcolm manages to prove Hal's innocence, it is revealed that Hal had never shown up to work on Fridays for 15 years. While Hal's Friday memory box evidence and proves Hal's innocence (Hal's coworkers always claimed he was seen committing crimes on Fridays), Lois is enraged at the realization that while she was working hard on Fridays cleaning the house and working double shifts, he was feeding Shamu, watching a college play, going onto a mini-golf course, and going to Pilgrim Village.
-->'''Hal''': (nervously) [[ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject Actually it's Keiko II. He's smaller, but you get just as big of a splash in the front row. We should go some time!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Original Generation 2'', Seolla had been brainwashed into forgetting that her close friend Arado, who recently pulled a HeelFaceTurn, ever existed except as an enemy. Yet, when he made a crack about the size of her breasts (something he's been doing to her since they day they met), she immediately snapped "How many times have I told you not to make fun of my chest!" by pure reflex.
* ''VideoGame/GateKeepers'': the entire crew is in a [[LotusEaterMachine Lotus Eater-type]] situation, and Shun realizes before everyone else that he's in a dream. He snaps Ruriko out of it by calling her a "crybaby" (something he used to call her when they were kids).
* In the beginning of ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'', you can insult [[MightyGlacier Minsc]] to make him break the bars of his prison. Minsc lampshades it after it succeeds.
-->'''Minsc''': You said what you did to get me mad! Mad enough to break free, ha ha! You are as smart as Boo sometimes!
* In ''VideoGame/StarControl2'', you recruit the last surviving Shofixti by repeatedly insulting him until he realizes you can't be an Ur-Quan because they're always unfailingly polite.
* The level 50 Goldsmith quest in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': Gigi the [[MechanicalLifeForm mammet]] has been incapacitated, and your character gets the bright idea of using [[ChekhovsGun a ring you had to craft earlier]] to revive him. As Serendipity points out later, this makes absolutely no sense in terms of mammet construction, and your character doesn't actually know anything about how they work, but it revives him anyway because, in his usual CausticCritic mood, he couldn't bear having your creation in his body.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', calling Fuji by her nickname, Tiger, will always wake her up. The students she teaches have to do this whenever she gives herself a concussion in her haste to get to her ''own class'' on time.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic'', the {{Goth}} was hypnotized by the BigBad using FunctionalMagic. When her friends rescued her, they needed to wake her up in a hurry. By ''[[ContrivedCoincidence pure coincidence]]'', the [[TheDitz dumb jock]] [[https://bmoviecomic.com/timely-rescue-chapter-1-strip-76/ commented on her breasts]]. It resulted in a HyperspaceMallet, but at least it worked.
* In ''Webcomic/AntiheroForHire'', the Action Girl was accidentally Insulted Awake from a MindProbe when TheRival AntiHero with {{UST}} [[http://antiheroforhire.com/d/20071019.html called her a nasty name]], resulting in ''Simpsons''-esque strangling.
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Ellen roused [[StrawFeminist Susan]] from a stupor by expressing a misogynistic sentiment, providing the image for this page. And that's after [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-07-03 her first attempt]] failed.
* A non-verbal example, when Joe from ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'' meets Joyce for the first time in a year she has no idea who he is thanks to a mindswipe. When she asks if she knows him he restores her memory by promptly slamming a door in her face, something he had done often in college to get her to leave.
** Mike does this to a BrainwashedAndCrazy Tony. Oddly, even after saying he dug up his mother's corpse just to violate it (among other things), Tony doesn't snap out of it until [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Mike calls him a loser]].
* ''Webcomic/{{Blip}}'' [[http://rakugakiwall.com/blip/archive/622 did it]] with a witch and ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' reference.
* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' had a moment when Zimmy stuck in her nightmares after mental contact with comatose Antimony gets a bright idea and says "[[BerserkButton your dad's]] a jerk!". Success! Except that Annie ''doesn't'' wake up fully, but turns out to be capable of [[spoiler:[[MindOverMatter telekinetically]] hurling poor Zimmy [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom across the room]]]] even in this state. Which may be better than getting caught by creepy [[TheBlank Nobodies]] anyway.
* In ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', Viole saves Yeon Ehwa from a PuppeteerParasite by telling her he had no interest in her body, which had previously sent her into a rage.
* ''WebComic/ParanormalMysterySquad'': Katie managed to jar Stephanie awake by joking that J.C had said he wanted to "jump her bones", then asked Steph if she'd let him do it. Stephanie mumbled 'yes', then realized what she'd said [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/faqs_about_the_plaza and promptly denied it.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', Linkara found [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] possessed by evil, so Linkara said "You're standing in my spot, Sir." from the game ''VideoGame/{{Swat 4}}'', a BerserkButton of Spoony's stemming from his LetsPlay of it. It wasn't quite the best plan, as, while it ''did'' snap him out of it, Spoony then proceeded to beat the crap out of Linkara, shouting "I'm not ''fucking in your way''!" before storming off.
* In ''WebVideo/AbridgedOnTitan'', Eren's mother revealed that adopted daughter Mikasa [[ParentalFavoritism was always her favorite]] shortly before dying, and that combined with the stress of seeing mom eaten by a titan and the titan invasion has driven Eren ''absolutely insane'' and makes him driven to somehow prove himself better than Mikasa. When the titans attack again and Eren's leg is bitten off by one, he passes out until he hallucinates his mother telling him that he's nothing but a disappointment and a failure. This gives him the HeroicSecondWind he needs to save Armin... and get eaten by a titan.
* In ''Creator/MoBrosStudios'' YouTubePoop "Candace Opens an Interdimensional Portal", [[spoiler: the RED Scout is believed dead after getting petrified by Candace's SuperpoweredEvilSide. The RED Spy eulogizes him with a surprisingly-heartfelt "Here lies Scout, he ran fast and died a virgin...", prompting Scout to bust out of his petrified Ducky Momo costume with an indignant "What?!"]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3'': The plot of an episode revolved around an escalating argument between the brothers, and, to get at Mario, Luigi snapped Mario's suspenders back, pulled his cap down, and plucked his mustache so hard it curled upwards. Later, Mario fell under a hypnotic tech-induced Koopa Trance, leaving it up to Luigi to save him. When the inevitable IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight between them ended up not actually breaking the trance, Luigi simply repeats what he did to Mario earlier, bringing him back by eliciting the same response as he'd gotten earlier:
-->'''Mario:''' Ooooooh! I hate it when you do that!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': "[[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS4E8TheSale The Sale]]" opens with Gumball and Darwin devastated over hearing that Mr. Robinson, whom they idolize in spite of his intense hatred of them, is moving. They imagine themselves falling through the ground and into a lightless abyss, but immediately wake up enraged by Nicole suggesting that they might get some better neighbors when the Robinsons are gone.
* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': This happens to Nigel Uno a lot. As one example, on being stranded on Rainbow Monkey Island for a long time, he ended up GoingNative... until someone told him he had gone through all that for a keychain. He ''immediately'' returned to normal and [[RageBreakingPoint exploded]].
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': In "Once Bitten", Brian bites Peter when he tries to give him a suppository, which leads to him getting sent to obedience school. He comes back a timid, subservient dog, but Peter soon [[WeWantOurJerkBack starts to miss the old Brian]] and gets the idea to give him the pill so that he'll bite him again, proving that he hasn't really changed.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Not exactly an insult, but in the episode "Rebirth", Leela is in a coma and, after unsuccessful attempts at reviving her, is laid to rest on a planet to be fed to an alien monster. However, when Bender acts like his normal jackass self and makes a large fire-burp, she immediately awakens to yell "Bender, shut the hell up!"
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': A non-verbal variation occurs in "Spike at Your Service"; Applejack tries to get Twilight's attention, but she's [[NotListeningToMeAreYou too invested in reading her new book to hear her]], so she knocks over an inkwell on Twilight's desk so the unicorn will snap out of it and instinctively put it back in place.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'': In one episode, they repeatedly snapped Beast Boy out of Mad Mod's hypnotism by making him laugh. In the end, it looked like he'd finally succumbed for good -- until Raven made a cleverly barbed joke about his intelligence. It was laughter that awoke him, but then he realized what she'd said and was promptly insulted.
[[/folder]]
----