History Main / ScreeningTheCall

* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': In ''ComicBook/DaredevilChipZdarsky'', ComicBook/SpiderMan invokes this on Matt Murdock after a series of events causes him to go on a strange and suicidal run, telling Matt that he's letting the rest of New York's heroes know that if he goes back out as Daredevil, they need to shut him down.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':

* In the 2019 ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'' run, Franchise/SpiderMan invokes this on Matt Murdock after a series of events causes him to go on a strange and suicidal run, telling Matt that he's letting the rest of New York's heroes know that if he goes back out as Daredevil, they need to shut him down.

TheHero would be [[JumpedAtTheCall happy to answer]] the CallToAdventure. After all, he's been waiting in the CallReceptionArea, waiting for [[TheCallLeftAMessage the message]] to appear - but he learned that someone's been clearing the voice mail behind his back. It seems that some well-meaning family, friends or loved ones are [[ScrewDestiny preventing]] the Hero from catching the call.

* In ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', the rest of the characters are constantly working to keep Haruhi LockedOutOfTheLoop regarding her own powers. They have a ''[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt very]]'' good reason, though.

Why? Maybe the Hero has [[MeddlingParents really overprotective parents]] who [[MamaBear don't want]] their child harmed. Maybe some [[DownerEnding tragedy]] has occurred in the past and it's known that [[TurnOutLikeHisFather adventure]] [[ItRunsInTheFamily runs in the family]]. Maybe the Hero has a [[AFateWorseThanDeath really nasty fate]] in store for them. Maybe the town is uncomfortable with the Hero's superpowers and would really rather he were [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent just normal]]. Maybe they have an interest in making sure NothingExcitingEverHappensHere (after all, adventure is [[NoEndorHolocaust really bad for property values]]). For a RegularCaller situation a protective LoveInterest might be determined that WeAreNotGoingThroughThatAgain. In really extreme circumstances, those Screening the Call might take the Hero [[OffingTheOffspring out of the equation]].

* Harry's foster family, [[MuggleFosterParents The Dursleys]], in the ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone''. Uncle Vernon uproots the entire family rather than admit his nephew's a wizard, forcing Hagrid to track them down and hand-deliver the letter.

* A {{Threshold Guardian|s}} will often prevent those who are not ready for TheCall from receiving it, often needing to be defeated as proof of a {{p|un}}assing grade or simply as [[QuestGiver a judge of character]]. If they weren't there, the hero could be [[DifficultySpike overwhelmed]] by the following challenge, instead of rising to the occasion. Can appear as anything from a local bully to a training course.

[[folder:Film]]

* In VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}, Raz's father forces Raz into rigorous acrobatics training in order to keep him from mastering his psychic potential. Not because he's overprotective but due to his prejudices against psychics. [[spoiler:It turns out, during TheReveal, that the father he meets in the mental realm was built on Raz's exaggerated perceptions of his father and his real father appears to tell Raz he really was trying to protect him.]]

* In ''Film/PoolhallJunkies'', Johnny is understandable quite mad after learning that he has been invited to play in a professional tournament ''multiple'' times but his manager Joe kept throwing away the letters so that he could keep making money off of him.

Why? Maybe the Hero has [[MeddlingParents really overprotective parents]] who [[MamaBear don't want]] their child harmed. Maybe some [[DownerEnding tragedy]] has occurred in the past and it's known that [[TurnOutLikeHisFather adventure]] [[ItRunsInTheFamily runs in the family]]. Maybe the Hero has a [[AFateWorseThanDeath really nasty fate]] in store for them. Maybe the town is uncomfortable with the Hero's StockSuperpowers and would really rather he were [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent just normal]]. Maybe they have an interest in making sure NothingExcitingEverHappensHere (after all, adventure is [[NoEndorHolocaust really bad for property values]]). For a RegularCaller situation a protective LoveInterest might be determined that WeAreNotGoingThroughThatAgain. In really extreme circumstances, those Screening the Call might take the Hero [[OffingTheOffspring out of the equation]].

* Invoked in ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. Bruce gives [[ComicBook/{{Azrael}} Jean-Paul]] the Mantle of the Bat because he knew that if he'd given it to [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick]], he'd try to get revenge against Bane and he didn't want him in the same position he was in.

* Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru seemed to be doing this to Luke Skywalker in Episode IV of ''Franchise/StarWars'', at least before [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the Empire caught up with them]]. Uncle Owen was the staunchest proponent of Luke staying home despite Beru's insistence that "Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his father in him." Owen's answer: "That's what I'm afraid of." We're initially led to believe that they're afraid Luke's going to get himself killed just like his father, but after [[LukeIAmYourFather a certain reveal]] in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', we learn that what they're really afraid of is the possibility that Luke might fall to the Dark Side and [[InTheBlood go evil like his father]]. Of course, Owen's logic is a bit skewed. There are no more Jedi save for Ben/Obi-Wan, and he doesn't even know Anakin became Darth Vader, so chances of Luke becoming a Jedi or Sith just by leaving home are nil. But he's still under the impression that Luke leaving the house, never mind the planet, in any way = him dying or becoming a Sith/Jedi/Evil/whatever.

** And in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the Order of the White Lotus tries to keep the new Avatar Korra safe by secluding her in the South Pole so she can train properly (and to avoid a repeat of the last Avatar where Aang went missing for a hundred years) and Tenzin explicitly forbids her from coming to Republic City where a new threat is building. Naturally, it doesn't work and she stows away to go there on her own and their insistence on keeping her secluded seems to have backfired as the now teenage Korra [[NoSocialSkills has very little in the way of social skills]], something that allows her to be manipulated.

* Invoked in ''WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged'', as Abridged!Intergra knows that Abridged!Alucard will go anywhere she doesn't want him to, but nowhere she wants him to, so she has Abridged!Walter tell him that he has vacation days, and he can go anywhere besides for Brazil. So, he goes to Brazil, where the latest threat is.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', episode "Jaws Wired Shut" due to Homer's changed attitude after an accident leaves his jaw wired, Marge invites Homer to go to a big festival. She believes that, since his jaw is shut, he will not attempt to get drunk and ride a mischievous Donkey to "Ruin Everything." There's even a framed newspaper article on the wall from last year's event with the headline being "Local Man Ruins Everything" In the end, Marge is correct and Homer does not get drunk and rejects the Donkey's proposal to ride him.

[[YouCantFightFate Eventually]], those [[DoomedHometown well-meaning but obstructive people]] will discover that TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive, and will thus be forced to give in (assuming the Call doesn't exact revenge by killing them off first).

* In some versions of ''Literature/PeterPan'', the father was once a Lost Boy and didn't want his children to leave him.