History Main / ABirthdayNotABreak

* In ''Fanfic/Pokempanions'' both of Mimikyu's parents were murdered on his fifth birthday by Serperior.

* In ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', Hermione remembers that it's Harry's birthday after the ThreeAmigos has escaped a Death Eater attack.

Related to WorstWeddingEver (when PlayedForDrama) and HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday (when the horrific events happen ''because'' it's a special day, birthdays included).

** It's implied by both the Daycare Attendant and [[spoiler:Roxy]] that ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSecurityBreach'''s Ruin DLC takes place either on or close to the protagonist Cassie's birthday (which they would know since she had celebrated a previous one there). Considering said DLC is about Cassie breaking into a now ruined [=PizzaPlex=], trying to find Gregory, and being chased by feral animatronics, the previous one was better (even considering no one came to her party).

* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Blue misses out on her 17th birthday during the ''Emerald'' arc because [[spoiler:she happened to be TakenForGranite at the time]].

* ''Anime/StarDriver'' reveals early in episode 6 that it's Sugata's birthday. Then the episode turns out to be a WhamEpisode. And ''then'' [[spoiler:[[TheHero Takuto]]'s narration at the end of it reveals that it's his birthday too. While his friend cries over a seemingly dead Sugata, but he got better.]]

* Chapter 1 of ''Webcomic/GlitterAndGuilt'' sees a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Vent]] attack on [[TheHero Sweetheart]]'s 21st birthday, and she briefly {{lampshade|Hanging}}s that the day wouldn't be complete without ''something'' going pear-shaped.

* In the prologue episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamTheWitchFromMercury'', Ericht a.k.a. Suletta's fourth birthday is a tragedy when her home colony is attacked leading to the deaths of her father and the colonists. Though she doesn't remember it much given that she was four at that time. However, the event drove her mother on a path of revenge.

* Chapter 1 of ''Webcomic/GlitterAndGuilt'' sees a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Vent]] attack on [[TheHero Sweetheart]]'s 21st birthday, and she briefly {{lampshade|Hanging}}s that day wouldn't be complete without ''something'' going pear-shaped.

* Chapter 1 of ''Webcomic/GlitterAndGuilt'' sees a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Vent]] attack on [[TheHero Sweetheart]]'s 21st birthday, and she briefly {{lampshade|Hanging}}s the day wouldn't be complete without ''something'' going pear-shaped.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Although not quite in the trope's order, Grace of WebComic/ElGoonishShive learns that her 18th birthday is the next Saturday while she's being held captive by [[BigBad Damien]], from another captive. Prior to that, she didn't even know how old she was.

->''"Oh, man. Not on my birthday."''
-->-- '''Lilo Pelekai''', ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' ("[[Recap/LiloAndStitchTheSeriesS1E12Amnesio Amnesio]]")

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse''celebrates his 14th birthday in "Steven's Birthday" and when he comments on if the Crystal Gems should be celebrating despite having to deal with the Cluster, they all respond that they need a break. While there is no outside, antagonistic force, Steven goes through internal anguish throughout his birthday because he now realizes he hasn't physically aged since he was 8 and overhears his father and Connie discussing this. As such, he magically forces himself to be look physically older, but causes him constant strain until Connie reassures him that no matter what their age, she'll always be his friend.

** Wally's [[ArcNumber sixteenth]] birthday party is interrupted when four giant flying ice fortresses start trying to freeze the entire country. He initially regards this as a '''good''' birthday, since it will give him a chance for a team-up with the Justice League, but grows disappointed when the blizzards knock out all transportation services, resulting in him [[SuperSpeed having to run a transplant heart from one coast to the other]] in time for a little girl's surgery. He barely manages it after being tricked by the girl's EvilUncle, and collapses in exhaustion right afterward.
** To add insult to injury, at the party thrown for him earlier in the day, Artemis informs him that his crush, M’gann is already in a relationship with Superboy.

Alternately the character is aware it is their birthday, in fact, there's a party just for them. But during the party there is an attack, a conversation between two characters, a revelation, etc. that disturbs (and often ends) the party. Basically the party is used as a reason to have all the characters be in the same place. That way they are conveniently together when the supervillain attacks instead of needing to be called, especially crucial if the characters are adults with day jobs or secret identities and wouldn't naturally be spending time together without a cause. This party is why the people who have been avoiding each other will finally have to talk. This gathering of people is how the secret comes out (someone reveals it not knowing it's a secret or someone being drunk both common causes) and the revelation has more of an impact because now everyone knows not just the few people it effects.