History Main / CutTheJuice

* A non-computer example appears in ''FanFic/NarutoTheSecretSongsOfTheNinja'' when Jiraiya puts a delayed variant of the Five Elements Seal that Orochimaru used in canon to seal away the Kyuubi on Naruto's stomach that he can activate at will to cut the Kyuubi off from his chakra network if it looks like the demon fox is getting out of control. Jiraiya warns him that doing so will also disrupt Naruto's control over his own chakra as well, so it should only be done in battle if there's no other choice. [[spoiler:He has to use it in chapter 10 to keep the Kyuubi from taking over his body altogether.]]

* If a [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]], UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} or UsefulNotes/WiiU game [[GameBreakingBug freezes up]] [[HellIsThatNoise with a loud noise]], you'll have to unplug it because no buttons will work once that happens; not even the reset button.

* ''Fanfic/Plan7Of9FromOuterSpace''. When a TinCanRobot tries to arrest them, [[Film/TheAdventuresOfCaptainProton Captain Proton]] and Buster Kincaid keep it busy while [=TuMok=] sneaks up behind it and yanks out its power cord.
-->"DAMAGE! DAMAGE! REQUIRE MAINTENANCE! [[Film/{{Aliens}} HOW CAN YOU CUT THE POWER? YOU'RE ANIMALS!]] HELP! HELP! [[ElectronicSpeechImpediment HELLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPP...]]"
** Later when Proton and [=TuMok=] have to shut down a DoomsdayDevice...
-->"Are you sure you've tried everything?"
-->"Yes, Captain. I have reversed the polarity of the neutron flow, boosted the power to the containment fields, depolarized the coupling on the negative access, crossed the streams causing total protonic reversal, carried out a Level One diagnostic, reinitialized the dilithium matrix, conducted an inverse tachyon sweep with the forward deflector array__"
-->"Have you tried [[BoringButPractical yanking out that power cord by your foot?]]"

* ''Fanfic/Plan7Of9FromOuterSpace''. Captain Proton and Martian agent [=TuMok=] are trying to deactivate a DoomsdayDevice. [=TuMok=] states he's tried numerous {{technobabble}} solutions to no avail. Proton asks if he's tried pulling out the power cord by his foot. [[spoiler:[=TuMok=] reaches down... and picks up a dropped weapon which he points at Proton, as he wants the device to go off to soften Earth up for an AlienInvasion.]]

* In ''Series/{{Castle}}'', a dirty bomb is counting down. Castle and Beckett are the only ones on-scene and neither of them know how to [[WireDilemma defuse a bomb]]. The music swells dramatically as the timer counts down until Castle [[CuttingTheKnot rips all the wires out at once]], separating the bomb from the power source.

* ''Anime/{{Patlabor}}'': In the anime, Kanuka Clancy wins her sparring match against Noa Izumi during the Labor pilot selection because Alphonse's batteries run dry due to wasted movements by Noa.

** Parodied in one episode [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 the 1987 cartoon]]: an alien "toy" threatens the existence of Earth and as it powers up, things look hopeless for our heroes... then it stops. As it turns out, April knew that "every toy has batteries", showing a massive cylindrical battery to the turtles.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** An episode that parodies ''Series/TwentyFour'' uses an amusing version. The bomb inside Hillary Clinton (don't ask) is set to explode once the 24 clock hit 1:00. Just before it reaches then the power goes out, leaving the timer flashing 12:00.
** Also in the Season 12 episode "Over Logging", where Kyle restores the broken-down Internet by un- and replugging the giant modem that apparently ''is'' the Internet. Of course, after [[AdultsAreUseless Adults]] try to communicate with bullhorns, bullets and music.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlack'' animated series, one episode featured an evil Time Traveler assassinating founding MIB agents, resulting in a RubberBandHistory where the eponymous agency uses "unreliable" human technology. Agent J stops the antagonist from finding the location of his last victim by pulling the plug on the PC being used as a database.

** Parodied in one episode of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 the 1987 cartoon]]: an alien "toy" threatens the existence of Earth and as it powers up, things look hopeless for our heroes... then it stops. As it turns out, April knew that "every toy has batteries", showing a massive cylindrical battery to the turtles.

** Played straight in the 2003 ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|2003}}'' cartoon, where Serling stops a toy robot from killing the Turtles by removing its batteries.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': The episode "Almost Got 'Im" has Harley Quinn sending Catwoman down a ConveyorBeltODoom. When Batman turns up, Harley claims that [[FriendOrIdolDecision he doesn't have enough time to beat her and save Catwoman]]. Cue the camera panning out slightly to show Batman standing right next to the master switch, which he promptly flips.

* Played with in the "Megadoomer" episode of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' when The Tallest accidentally send Zim a Megadoomer X-3 Combat Stealth Mech. The giant mech was incredible, but it came without batteries and had to be plugged into an outlet at all times in order to function. As a result, it loses power mid-rampage when the extension cord gets yanked out of the socket. Afterwards, Zim has GIR plug it into a new outlet each time it powers down.
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': In "Rabbit Ears", as Stan and Tuttle escape from the supernatural TV show they've been trapped in, they're pursued by the demonic entity that runs it, which begins to force itself through the television screen...until the TV suddenly shuts off, and Tuttle reveals that he pulled the plug ("Look what I got!" *twirls plug*).
* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''. After our heroes defeat The Brain, he deploys a sinister array from his chassis as if he's going to activate a SelfDestructMechanism or DeathRay. Everyone raises their weapons or ducks for cover...and all the lights go out. When they come back on, [[StealthHiBye the Brain has vanished]].
-->'''Kid Flash:''' Wait, that big weapon was...a light switch?

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "Arcade Mania", Steven tries to stop Garnet from playing the arcade machine by unplugging it, but she just uses her powers to turn it back on.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Marge vs. the Monorail", two guys discuss the speeding out of control monorail:

* In a ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' story, a team of scientists invent an artificially intelligent computer and it instantly turns evil. In a panic, the scientists immediately pull the plug on it and the situation seems resolved. Unfortunately, the robot then ''turns itself back on'', saying it has all the power it needs to operate, which means this is now a job for the superheroes to deal with.
* In [[Recap/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003S1E3AttackOfTheMousers "Attack of the Mousers"]] from ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', April explains to the turtles that she wasn't able to shut down Dr. Stockman mouser-robots -- the only way she could stop them was by [[OhCrap activating an overload sequence]]. Thankfully, April and the turtles are able to escape before the mousers explode and subsequently destroy the Stocktronics Labs.
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': In "System Failure", Entrapta tries to analyze a computer chip with her computer, but the chip has a virus that infects the computer and spreads to her robots, turning them homicidal. Bow and Entrapta fight past the robots and manage to unplug the computer, but the chip turns out to have modified the computer to be self-sustaining.

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersAtWork'': In "The Vending Machine", everyone at MIFT gets Fritz a brand new vending machine after their old one, Vendy, accidentally gets broken by Tylor. However, when Duncan tries to repair it when it breaks, he removes some important doohickeys from it, which causes it to go rogue. Duncan tries to shut it down by pulling the plug, but it activates its backup battery power and continues to attack him.

* Diesel engines, especially older ones, can experience a "runaway" situation when oil begins leaking into the combustion chamber. Since motor oil and diesel fuel have about the same amount of combustibility, the engine can start feeding off the oil rather than the diesel fuel itself. Diesel engines have no spark plugs, relying on pressure instead, so the only "juice" to cut is the fuel...which is useless when the engine is burning its own lubricant. In these cases the only real way to stop the engine is either to find a way to block the air intake and choke the engine out, or allow the engine to run its course and either [[ExplosiveOverclocking explode]] or burn up all of its oil and seize. A runaway diesel engine triggered a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_Refinery_explosion particularly destructive explosion]] at the Texas City oil refinery in 2005 after a blowdown stack had malfunctioned and began spraying raffinate into the air; because some [[JustForPun bright spark]] thought it would be a good idea to leave their diesel-engined pickup truck idling in an environment where this should ''absolutely'' not be allowed, the truck got engulfed by the vapour cloud and began ingesting fuel vapour through its air intake, leaving the engine completely unable to be stopped; when the truck backfired, it ignited the vapour cloud, triggering a massive explosion that killed 15 people, injured 180 others and inflicted severe damage to both the refinery and the surrounding area.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Mass Effect|1}}'', a subquests pits you against a suicidal A.I., who has decided to take you along for the ride. Now, you can try to figure out the shutdown override code for its self-destruct system by trial-and-error before the timer runs out... or you can take out your shotgun and blow up a nearby fusebox. Brute-force hacking at its best.
* ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}''

** This is used again in ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}''. Lucas, Boney, and Dr. Andonuts are being chased by the nigh-unbeatable Ultimate Chimera. As it pounces for its meal, Salsa runs in and hits the button on its back, effectively killing the power. The duck on its back flips it back on long after you've left, which should explain why it appears later on in the Empire Porky Building.
** Minor Robots (in Thunder Tower) are also vulnerable to the effects of this trope, as their batteries tend to run out after a few battle rounds, rendering them motionless... Unless, of course, they're being accompanied by a [[LivingBattery Battery Man]], who, if one is still alive when the Minor Robot runs out of power, will remove itself from the battlefield to repower the Robot.

* The novel version of ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''. Bowman contemplates cutting HAL's powersupply, but since HAL also controls the ship's life support, Bowman realizes that he can't simply cut off the power. In addition to the fact that HAL is powered by a nuclear reactor.
* In ''Film/TwoThousandTenTheYearWeMakeContact'', Floyd has the engineer Curnow install a device on HAL's main power supply to let them shut him down remotely, if he goes nuts again. Dr. Chandra knew that they'd do that, and disconnected it.

* Cruelly subverted in ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'' ''2''. The party launches a raid on a power plant to destroy the machine that's destroying the world, and many members of LaResistance are backing them up. It turns out that the machine doesn't need the plant's power to operate, rendering everyone's sacrifices meaningless.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' actually got this one right: when the Decepticons attack a US Military base and begin hacking into the main computer server, the commander grabs an emergency axe and severs the main power line, turning the machine off. This slows the Decepticons down considerably and forces them to find another way to finish getting the data they need (doesn't stop them from trashing the base, though).

[[quoteright:200:[[Manga/HayateTheCombatButler https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_hayate_the_combat_butler_-_shameless_hinagiku_plug.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:200:"I just took it out."]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E2TheDaleks "The Daleks"]], the plan to defeat the Daleks revolves around trying to unplug their city’s electricity supply. It works because the original Daleks drew their power from the floors of their city and had no internal power supply.

See also HaveYouTriedRebooting, ItWontTurnOff, AchillesPowerCord, CutPhoneLines. Compare PercussiveShutdown for a more bellicose deactivation method.

* The ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "The Ultimate Computer". The computer finds a way to draw power directly from the engines (that it controls) while killing the RedShirt who tried it. In the end it took one of Kirk's patented {{Logic Bomb}}s to do it.

* In the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' episode "Mega-Mega Meowth Madness'', it looks as if the titular unstoppable mech Meowth is using is going to be stopped by simply pulling out the power cord- only for James to order Meowth to switch the mech to diesel power. The mech ultimately gets destroyed the normal way- being blown up.

-->-- '''Chloe''', ''Series/{{Smallville}}''

* ''Film/JamesBond'':
** ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'' uses this as a subversion of the classic bomb plot. The bomb expert that arrives to stop the atomic device does so by merely hitting a switch. (You'd better believe that it stopped at [[Film/JamesBond 0:07]].) The counter was originally going to stop at 0:03 -- Connery has a line of dialogue to that effect immediately after the shutdown -- but for obvious reasons, they changed it in the edit.
** In ''Film/GoldenEye'', [[SmugSnake Boris]] flips out when Natalya "spikes" his computer, which also prevents him from disconnecting his computer from hers, and rips it apart to break the connection. Considering the fact that he could have just shut off the computer, or, even easier, turned off the internet connection (pull out the ethernet cord or shutdown a router), the apparently thousands of dollars of damage he inflicts on the computer is really stupid.

* Implied in ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' (and by extension ''VideoGame/BlackMesa''). When the sample of "[[MineralMcGuffin anomalous material]]" starts to react badly to whatever it is that overclocked [[TechnoBabble "anti-mass spectrometer"]] is supposed to be doing, one of the scientists orders a coworker to shut it off. The other scientist calls out that "It's not shutting down!", and never gets a chance to elaborate as to why because [[NegativeSpaceWedgie the resonance cascade]] kicks in, and seconds later the only bits of the control room not on fire are the parts that exploded.

* ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'': One of the first game's Sunken Scrolls explains how the Octarians used several powerful war machines known as the Great Octoweapons during the Great Turf War. These weapons seemed to almost guarantee the Octarians' victory over the Inklings... until the plug was pulled from its socket, rendering the Octoweapons inoperable.

* Diesel engines, especially older ones, can experience a "runaway" situation when oil begins leaking into the combustion chamber. Since motor oil and diesel fuel have about the same amount of combustibility, the engine can start feeding off the oil rather than the diesel fuel itself. Diesel engines have no spark plugs, relying on pressure instead, so the only "juice" to cut is the fuel...which is useless when the engine is burning its own lubricant. In these cases the only real way to stop the engine is either to find a way to block the air intake and choke the engine out, or allow the engine to run its course and either [[ExplosiveOverclocking explode]] or burn up all of its oil and seize.

* According to ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'''s Sunken Scrolls, the Octarians used several powerful war machines known as the Great Octoweapons during the Great Turf War. These weapons seemed to almost guarantee the Octarians' victory over the Inklings... until the plug was pulled from its socket, rendering the Octoweapons inoperable.

** In ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', the Monotoli building is guarded by a clumsy robot with a particularly unusual moveset. After the heroes survive its attacks for a while, The Runaway Five bursts into the room in a BigDamnHeroes moment... and flips the switch on the robot's back. Success! If you use the power shield to bounce its missile back at the clumsy robot, you get to see the same scene twice.

[[folder: Real Life]]

* ''Film/WarGames'': The idea is lifted, but quickly shot down. WOPR was built with a deliberate fail-deadly, meaning that if power to the master computer is cut, the silo computers would assume that Cheyenne Mountain had been nuked (since they are at [[DefconFive Defcon 1]]), and launch their missiles in response.

* The plot of ''Film/TheAvengers'' is kicked off by Nick Fury being called down to P.E.G.A.S.U.S. because [[{{Macguffin}} the Tesseract]] is suddenly charging up power for something. When he asks why they didn't just cut the power, he's reminded that it ''is'' a power source and just turned itself back on.

* ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}}'': Tim Drake is a rare example of a comic book hacker who knows to just cut the power when the security of his system is compromised by another hacker. He's not happy about shutting down the Batcomputer but he has done so.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''. The Team defeat The Brain, who then deploys a sinister array from his chassis as if he's going to activate a SelfDestructMechanism or DeathRay. Everyone raises their weapons or ducks for cover...and all the lights go out. When they come back on, the Brain has vanished.
--->'''Kid Flash:''' Wait, that big weapon was...a light switch?