History Main / BigRedButton

[[caption-width-right:315:[[WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove Why do we even HAVE that button?]]]]

* ''Film/Interceptor2022'' has a DesignatedGirlFight over two red buttons. A female terrorist is trying to get to the red button that will open the door and let her fellow terrorists into the control room, while the heroine fighting her is trying to hit the red button that will launch an interceptor missile to [[RaceAgainstTheClock destroy a nuclear missile heading towards the United States]].

** In ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'', the red button that activates the James Bond car's famous ejector seat is under the stick shift.

* ''Film/{{Interceptor}}'' has a DesignatedGirlFight over two red buttons. A female terrorist is trying to get to the red button that will open the door and let her fellow terrorists into the control room, while the heroine fighting her is trying to hit the red button that will launch an interceptor missile to [[RaceAgainstTheClock destroy a nuclear missile heading towards the United States]].

*** Played for laughs in [[Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie The Movie]]: the HumongousMecha has a Big Red Button behind a pane of glass that must be broken, with a sign that says "For Emergency Use Only." Turns out it causes the mecha to [[GroinAttack knee an opponent in the groin]].

* Played with quite elaborately in ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' episode "Tagged." While confined due to electronic bracelets, the penguins enlist the lemurs' help in fixing a heating/cooling unit that they had started to work on before being confined. Seven buttons appear before the three lemurs, each button an almost-imperceptible shade of red (ruby, brick, crimson, scarlet, etc.). Kowalski instructs the lemurs that they are supposed to press ''only'' the scarlet button, which leads to King Julien and Maurice arguing over which one is scarlet. King Julien starts to play eenie-meenie-minie-moe, until Mort, TheChewToy of the group, pads up and presses a button at random. HilarityEnsues.

** When the dropship starts to break up around him, Cage hits a red-coloured emergency release flap mounted over his shoulder, falling out of the belly of the dropship swinging wildly on a cable until it breaks and dumps him on the ground. As he becomes more familiar with his equipment due to the GroundhogDayLoop, he just enters a command into his PoweredArmor and makes a more controlled descent.
** Rita uses an ordinary industrial red button to stop the robots in the training area. When she hits it again, a robot usually [[BlackComedy slams into Cage in a painful manner]].

** When the dropship starts to break up around him, Cage hits a red-coloured emergency release flap mounted over his shoulder, falls out of the belly of the dropship swinging wildly on a cable until it breaks and dumps him on the ground. As he becomes more familiar with his equipment due to the GroundhogDayLoop, he just enters a command into his PoweredArmor and makes a more controlled descent.
** Rita uses an ordinary industrial red button to stop the robots in the training area. Whenever she hits it again, a robot usually [[BlackComedy slams into Cage in a painful manner]].

* ''Film/MonsterVerse'': Monarch's [[{{Kaiju}} Titan]] [[BlackSite containment sites]] in ''Film/Godzilla2014'' and ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' have Big Red Buttons which activate emergency procedures designed to kill the captive Titans (or rather ''try to'' kill them). Ultimately, they only serve a very minor role in the plot of either film, as they either don't get pressed or they dramatically fail to so much as make the Titans bleed.
** Exactly ''what'' happens when the button is pushed seems to vary by Titan. The Janjira Outpost's measure was [[MythologyGag a gigantic net of electrified wires]] that swung out over the open pit where the reactor cores and [[PupatingPeril Hokmuto's cocoon]] were, in an attempt to either electrocute the {{Kaiju}} or at minimum keep him from leaving the area. Hokmuto, however, doesn't seem to notice the electrical current when he pulls the wires down and [[GiantFlyer escapes into the night sky]].

* The UsefulNotes/ColorComputer's [[http://www.psw.ca/images/coco1a.jpg keyboard]] had a bright red button in the upper right corner ominously labeled "Break". Unaware users would avoid it like the plague. Some later models relabeled the key "ESC/Break" to better explain its functionality.

* ''Film/MonsterVerse'': Monarch's [[{{Kaiju}} Titan]] containment sites in ''Film/Godzilla2014'' and ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' have Big Red Buttons which activate emergency procedures designed to kill the captive Titans (or rather ''try to'' kill them). Ultimately, they only serve a very minor role in the plot of either film, as they either don't get pressed or they dramatically fail to so much as make the Titans bleed.

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* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'':
** [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/050419 George]] uses a Big Red Button to lower the not-yet-activated X's pod so that X's body can be placed back into it without Dr. Light seeing, and then uses the button again to raise the pod back in place, with X in it. George's "manipulation" of the control is a [[TakeThat shot at Dr. Light]] for putting him in a [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/030923 single button-operated time suit]] [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/030924 with overly complex controls]] in a previous arc (not a red button, but a big and important one nonetheless).
** There's also a Big Red Button [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/051126 inside Mega Man's mind]] [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/051127 to activate his router]].
* In ''Webcomic/TinyRaygun'', Nepta's ship has one presumably for achieving FasterThanLightTravel, helpfully labeled "Faster".
* In ''Webcomic/TheWhiteboard'', {{R|ascallyRaccoon}}oger stumbles across [[http://www.the-whiteboard.com/autobutton01.html one of these]] (aptly labeled "[[DontTouchItYouIdiot For the love of God, do]] '''[[DontTouchItYouIdiot NOT]]''' [[DontTouchItYouIdiot press this button!]]") in [[GadgeteerGenius Doc's]] shop. He [[SchmuckBait can't stop pressing it]], with various responses suggested by TWB fans. It makes a return as a last ditch effort to change Doc and Roger back to themselves after [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext launching fireworks]].
* BIP in ''Webcomic/LittleRobotBigScaryWorld'' is assigned to push one of these, and soon questions the monotony of this kind of life.

* ''Website/SCPFoundation'': [[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001-j This joke SCP entry]]. Hilariously justified in that the button itself is semi-sentient and sends out a mild psychic signal, [[SchmuckBait compelling people to press it]].

* The QI [[http://www.qi.com/ website]] recently added a Big Red Button. [[spoiler:It triggers the Klaxon.]]
* Website/GaiaOnline randomly shows an enormous red button on its main page. It's actually a good button; it directs newcomers to the sign-in page, so they ''want'' people to get tempted and click it.
* [[http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/The_Big_Red_Button.aspx This post]] over at a blog(?) called Website/TheDailyWTF demonstrates a very interesting real-world Big Red Button...
* A RunningGag on [[http://www.villainsource.com/ Villain Source]] (Your Online Source For Everything Evil), usually for activating the requisite SelfDestructMechanism that comes free with every SupervillainLair.
* Mocked in the former Web site "The Big Red Button That Does Nothing", which was ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin

* Perfectly benign examples can be found at [[http://instantrimshot.com/ instantrimshot.com]], which simply play StockSoundEffects.

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales''. Bob and Larry are chasing after Madame Blueberry in a motorized shopping cart, and Bob asks "Can't this thing go any faster?" Right on cue, the big red button starts blinking. Bob pushes it and then flinches, expecting something incredible to happen. Instead, it prints a coupon.
* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR''.
** Coop's Big Red Button. Its label and effect would [[ContextSensitiveButton change depending on the situation]], like when Coop yells "Maybe you'll like this better, then!", the button is ''actually labeled'' "This Better Then". He even has a button labeled "Big Red Button of Irony".
** A couple episodes draw attention to this, in fact. One episode had the button marked "Five Minutes Until End of Episode," activating [[ForgottenSuperweapon a brand-new power that saves the day]].
** Another episode had Coop use it ''twice'', for two different results. The second time, it's labeled "The Exact Same Button Coop Used Like Five Minutes Ago."
** And then there's "The Button That Does The Same Thing As The Other Button" button.
** Still better, Megas does, in fact, have a "Save the World" button (right under "Destroy the World", "Smite the World", and "Destroy the World Worse".) But it's been removed.
** He also has a button that is simply titled "The Button", which has the following warning posted around it: "Danger", "Do Not Touch", "This Means You!", and "Never ever press!". Said button launches an arsenal of nukes from Megas, though Kiva stops him from using it (to which he replies "What's the point of having nukes if I never get to use them?")
* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'':
** "[[Recap/RenAndStimpy1x03SpaceMadnessTheBoyWhoCriedRat Space Madness]]" ends with Ren ordering Stimpy to guard the History Eraser Button, [[http://jollycandylikebutton.ytmnd.com/ "The jolly, candy-like button!"]] Stimpy eventually caves in to the pressure of [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BRB.png the voice-over announcer]] and [[http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/junker46/HistoryEraserButton.jpg pushes the button,]] [[RetGone erasing himself, Ren, and the narrator from history]].
** In "[[Recap/RenAndStimpy2x10StimpysFanClub Stimpy's Fan Club]]", Ren has an ImagineSpot of being president of the United States. He's seen arguing with someone on the phone, shouting "What do you ''mean'' you don't agree with me?! Do you know who you're dealing with?!", and pushing a Big Red Button that [[NukeEm blows up Australia]].
* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'':
** Parodied. Dib asks, "[[LampshadeHanging How'd I miss that?]]?
** The Megadoomer's self-destruct button was also a Big Red Button with a crazy smiley face on it.
* ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'': In the episode "Bootman", Johnny ends up on the space station headquarters of the [[SuperTeam Astounding League of Super People]], and is tempted by a big red button.
-->'''Mr. Elastic:''' [[DontTouchItYouIdiot No! Don't press that button!]]\\
'''Johnny:''' ''[pause]'' Aw, [[SchmuckBait now I got to]].\\
''[Johnny presses the button, causing all the other superheroes to be [[ThrownOutTheAirlock jettisoned into space]]]''
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/WatchMyChops'', when Bernie has to demonstrate a hydrogen fuel machine that's controlled with multiple buttons, Corneil states to Bernie the machine activates with the white button and warns him to never press the purple button. Unsurprisingly, Bernie screws up the demonstration, claiming the machine is flawed and proceeds to press the purple button, blowing the machine and demolishing much of the school.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyTest,'' Dukey tries to constantly edge Johnny ''away'' from pushing said button, mainly because more often than not, said Big Red Button [[OncePerEpisode tends to cause the trouble that they have to stop]]. [[SubvertedTrope This is the one time where pushing the red button actually saves the day.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Madballs}}: Escape from Orb'', Freakella correctly guesses that this is the button to press in order to start Aargh and Slobulous's ship:
-->'''Freakella:''' Just hit the big red button!\\
'''Aargh & Slobulus:''' Why?\\
'''Freakella:''' Because [[LampshadeHanging it's ALWAYS the big red button]]!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E9SideshowBobsLastGleaming Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming]]", Sideshow Bob hooks an atomic bomb up to one of these. Lisa and Bart barges in as he is tracing his finger around the button. Lisa objects, saying: "Don't you see? That would be taking the easy way out!", to which he replies "I agree!" [[spoiler:and presses it. The bomb turns out to be a dud]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bonkers}}'' {{lampshade|Hanging}}d this trope after a criminal toon told Bonkers not to push a very obviously hazardous-to-himself-and-his-human-partner big shiny red button, citing that it's a built-in rule for cartoon characters to push big red buttons once it's pointed out - making it a literal RuleOfFunny.

* An episode of ''[=Gerald McBoingBoing=]'' has the family buy a car. Gerald's dad sees the car has a big red button (alright it wasn't that big but it was red) in the car and presses it, activating an ejector seat.
* From the ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'' episode "The Big Chill Out":
-->'''K. Rool:''' With my KCCBM, we'll be up to our tails in Coconut Chills before you can say "Blast off!"\\
''[Klump pushes the big red button and launches the KCCBM]''\\
'''Kritters:''' Hooray!!\\
'''K. Rool:''' ''I'' wanted to push the big red button!!\\
'''Klump:''' But you said "blast off" and I didn't get to say anything!
* In the ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' episode "The Robot Spy", the duty officer of an Air Force base pushes such a button to call a RedAlert and scramble jet fighters.
* Played with quite elaborately in ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' episode "Tagged." While confined due to electronic bracelets, the penguins enlist the lemurs' help in fixing a heating/cooling unit that they had started to work on before being confined. Seven buttons appear before the three lemurs, each button an almost-imperceptible shade of red (ruby, brick, crimson, scarlet, etc.). Kowalski instructs the lemurs that they are supposed to press ''only'' the scarlet button, which leads to King Julien and Maurice arguing over which one is scarlet. King Julien starts to play eenie-meenie-minie-moe, until Mort, TheChewToy of the group, pads up and presses a button at random. HilarityEnsues.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'': The Joker gets to ride in the Batmobile during an EnemyMine, and is in full WhatDoesThisButtonDo mode, with Batman repeatedly telling him not to touch anything. He spots a Big Red Button, which Batman warns him he ''really'' doesn't want to touch. He touches it -- [[spoiler:and gets hit in the face with knock-out gas. It's like Bats read the Evil Overlord List example at the top of the page and made it non-lethal]]. The Joker [[LampshadeHanging highlights]] this trope again during TheTeaser, only this time it's a SelfDestructMechanism, which results in an EarthShatteringKaboom.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHerculoids'': In the episode "Malak and the Metal Apes", Zandor sneaks into Malak's base inside one of the Metal Apes (robots). When he reveals himself, Malak orders his henchman to push a red button to activate the Ape's SelfDestructMechanism and destroy him.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheProblemSolverz'', there is a magic clock with a red button on it that is capable of ripping a hole in the fabric of the space-time continuum. Naturally, crazy fangirl Katrina Rad steals the clock and threatens to press the button if Roba doesn't marry her.
* The indie computer-animation short ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEjUAnPc2VA Pigeon: Impossible]]'' involves a bird falling into a suitcase containing a Big Red Button (among other spy gadgets). The pigeon taps it, but doesn't fully press the button, only for the CIA agent to accidentally do so, whereupon the [[WeaponizedLandmark Washington Monument]] turns into a [[OhCrap nuclear missile launcher]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', [[OverrideCommand Bruce has a big red button to remotely shut down the Batsuit in case it ever ended up in the wrong hands]]. He uses it in the two-part pilot episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS1E1E2Rebirth Rebirth]]" after Terry steals the suit, and again in "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E4LostSoul Lost Soul]]" to freeze the suit after it is taken over by [[AIIsACrapshoot a hostile AI]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': Olaf's lair has one, and [[TheDitz Stumpy]] pushes it despite Olaf telling him not to.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' episode "Power Trip", Rocko's BadBoss, Mr. Smitty, goes out of town for a hair transplant, and leaves Rocko (his only employee) in charge, giving him the keys to the manager's office. He cryptically warns Rocko [[MemeticMutation "Don't touch the green button."]] Rocko gets into the manager's office, and enjoys playing around with all the functions on Mr. Smitty's chair. He presses a pink button, which plays music and makes bubbles... and finds himself tempted by The Green Button. He decides to chance it and presses it. It starts off as an intense massage function... but it eventually causes Rocko to turn into a BadBoss just like Mr. Smitty.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS1E16EnchantingGromFright Enchanting Grom Fright]]", Luz pokes around in the Hexside gym while they're setting up for Grom. There, she sees a big red button on a plinth and gleefully gives in to the temptation to press it. It reveals an arena hidden under the gym and racks of weapons, and while Luz thinks they're just more decorations ("Medieval torture seems like a weird theme for Grom, but... eh!") it turns out they're part of a ritual where the Grom Royalty has to fight a ferocious monster.
* Invoked in ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'' when Frylock fiddles with the control panel of the Plutonians' spaceship to try to beam himself back to Earth.
-->'''Oglethorpe:''' Those buttons are red! ''You'll destroy us all!''
* ''WesternAnimation/WorkItOutWombats'': In "Secret Tunnels," Zeke finds a big red button in the secret tunnels, but Super tells him not to touch it, since it will melt everyone's ice cream.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': * In "WesternAnimation/DesignForLeaving", Daffy Duck equips Elmer Fudd's home with "time-saving gadgets" operated from a push-button control panel. The panel includes one Big Red Button which Daffy warns him to never touch. At the end of the cartoon, curiosity gets the better of Elmer and he pushes it. [[spoiler:A display lights up reading "IN CASE OF TIDAL WAVE", and the entire house rises up hundreds of feet over the ground. Daffy arrives by helicopter and says "For a small price, I can install this little blue button to get you down."]]