History Main / DontSneakUpOnMeLikeThat

-->'''Meg''': I heard a noise! Is something wrong? Are we being robbed? What's going on?
-->''[[[{{Beat}} Peter stares at Meg for about 5 full seconds]]...before clocking her with the bat]''
-->'''Meg''': AHH!! WHAT THE HELL?!
-->'''Peter''': Oh, Meg, you startled me!

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', when Naruto lost control of the Kyuubi, Sakura tried to calm him down and got slapped with a {{Hellfire}}-imbued tail for her trouble. However, it should be noted that she didn't really sneak up on him, he was just berserking and attacked her because she presented herself as a target.

* In ''Film/DeadSnow'', a guy is working out his frustration at being cornered by zombies by savagely hacking the remaining one to pieces. His girlfriend decides that the best thing to do in this situation is to walk up and tap him on the shoulder, and gets an axe in the neck for her troubles.

* Mac on ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' punches Dee in the face when she grabs him from behind. This is foreshadowing for him doing the same thing to [[DroppedABridgetOnHim Carmen]] in public, causing a couple of guys to chase him over what they think is a hatecrime. A conversation with Dennis suggests this is [[BerserkButon a common problem]];

* Literature/HarryPotter: Don't ''ever'' surprise [[CrazyAwesome Mad-Eye Moody]]. Although chances are he [[CrazyPrepared already knew]] [[TheOmniscient you were there]], if you actually ''do'' [[DeadlyPrank catch him off-guard]]... [[TakeOurWordForIt well]]...

* On GetSmart, after 86 and 99 got married, he'd occasionally make the mistake of sneaking up on her to give her a kiss, only to get karate chopped.

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* WebOriginal/TheAngryVideoGameNerd discusses the first part of this trope:

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* In {{Angel}} the title character does this to often humorous results.

FriendOrFoe is the SuperTrope, while WakeUpFighting is a common SubTrope.

-->''"[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klltwoa6glE When it comes to horror movies, it's a tradition. They always have that moment when somebody's all alone, in a dark alley or a dark room. You're just waiting for something to happen, just waiting, and then all of a sudden... oh, it's just a friend scaring the hell out of you, though they never do it on purpose, it's not like they're playing a prank. Is that how you greet somebody? By sneaking up on them, and grabbing their shoulder?]]"''

* TheAngryVideoGameNerd discusses the first part of this trope:

* In the first ''Film/{{X-Men}}'' movie, Rogue tries to wake up Wolverine during a nightmare and he attacks her. [[GoodThingYouCanHeal Good thing he can heal and she can steal his powers...]]

* [[{{Series/Mash}} M*A*S*H]] had a non-attack variation of this, where an early running gag would be [[HypercompetentSidekick Radar O'Reilly]] sneaking up on Col. Blake a half-second before Col. Blake was to call him. The invariable punchline would be some variation on the trope phrase.

* [[series/Mash M*A*S*H]] had a non-attack variation of this, where an early running gag would be [[HypercompetentSidekick Radar O'Reilly]] sneaking up on Col. Blake a half-second before Col. Blake was to call him. The invariable punchline would be some variation on the trope phrase.

This trope is about any instance where a character attacks someone accidentally, just because they were taken by surprise. If it's being PlayedForLaughs, the attacker will usually utter some variation of the trope's title. However, if the victim is seriously injured ([[AccidentalMurder or killed]]), it usually leads to MyGodWhatHaveIDone instead.

One common variation is for the victim to be playing a prank on the attacker by dressing as something they don't like, [[DeadlyPrank without considering that fear may lead to violence.]] FriendOrFoe is the SuperTrope, while WakeUpFighting is a common SubTrope.

* This is how Ike's mother got killed in ''FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', as she was trying to retrieve a medallion from her husband that turned him into a crazed berserker. She succeeded, but not without getting stabbed.

* In {{Angel}} the title character does this to often humourus results.

This trope is about any instance where a character attacks someone accidentally, just because they were taken by surprise. If it's being PlayedForLaughs, the attacker will usually utter some variation of the trope's title. If the victim is seriously injured ([[AccidentalMurder or killed]), however, it usually leads to MyGodWhatHaveIDone instead.

This trope is about any instance where a character attacks someone accidentally, just because they were taken by surprise. If it's being PlayedForLaughs, the attacker will usually utter some variation of the trope's title. If the victim is seriously injured, however, it usually leads to MyGodWhatHaveIDone instead.

Alice [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom punches Bob across the room]] the moment he touches her. Then she realizes who it was.

[[AC:AnimeAndManga]]
* In ''KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' this is a reflex conditioned into Miu through years of martial arts training: she ''always'' throws anyone who touches her (or, God forbid, ''grabs'' her) from behind.

[[AC:Film]]

* In ''DeadSnow'', a guy is working out his frustration at being cornered by zombies by savagely hacking the remaining one to pieces. His girlfriend decides that the best thing to do in this situation is to walk up and tap him on the shoulder, and gets an axe in the neck for her troubles.

[[AC: Literature]]

--> He placed his chip against the black plate. The bolts clicked. She seemed to hit him, somehow, before he'd actually gotten the door open. He was on his knees, the steel door against his back, the blades of her rigid thumbs quivering centimeters from [[EyeScream his eyes...]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

[[AC:TabletopGames]]
* The "Berserk" disadvantage in ''{{GURPS}}'', in addition to everything else the disadvantage entails (rabidly attacking every enemy on hand with whatever weapon is on hand), also conveys this, treating anyone trying to restrain the character, friend or enemy, as an enemy. Earlier editions nicknamed the berserker rage "the Doom of the North" for this very reason.
* The Berserk disadvantage/complication in ''{{Champions}}'' works like this.

[[AC:Webcomics]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* On the CharlieAndTheChocolateParody episode of ''FamilyGuy'', a {{ninja}}'s wife gives him a hug from behind and he reflexively punches her out before he even looks round.

-->'''Meg''': AHH!! WHAT THE HELL?!

[[AC:VideoGames]]

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* ''AmericanDad'', naturally.

* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja,[[KidSidekick Gordito]] is reluctant to [[RudeAwakening wake up]] Dr. [=McNinja=] for this very reason. The good doctor's parents apparently ingrained it into him [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood by attacking him in his sleep]], because...[[{{ninja}} well...]]he's a {{McNinja}}.

One common variation is for the victim to be playing a prank on the attacker by dressing as something they don't like, [[DeadlyPrank without considering that fear may lead to violence.]] FriendOrFoe is the SuperTrope, while RudeAwakening is a common SubTrope.

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Bob has something important to tell Alice. She's busy and focused on something, and he's been told never to interrupt her... but this is important! Surely she won't mind... He taps her on the shoulder.

"Hey, Alice, I- "
'''POW!'''

Alice [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom throws Bob across the room]] the moment he touches her. Then she realizes who it was.
"Bob! I ''told'' you not to sneak up on me like that!"

This trope is about any instance where a character attacks someone accidentally, just because they were taken by surprise. If it's being PlayedForLaughs, the attacker will usually utter some variation of the trope's title. If the victim is seriously injured, however, it usually leads to MyGodWhatHaveIDone instead.

One common variation is for the victim to be playing a prank on the attacker by dressing as something they don't like, without considering that fear may lead to violence. The trope can also apply to people who have been suddenly woken up and attack the person that woke them, particularly if they were having a bad dream.
----
!!Examples


[[AC:Film]]
* In the first ''Film/{{X-Men}}'' movie, Rogue tries to wake up Wolverine during a nightmare and he attacks her. [[GoodThingYouCanHeal Good thing he can heal and she can steal his powers...]]
* ClearAndPresentDanger: This exact line is said by Clark when the pilot Larson walks up behind him without warning first.

[[AC: Literature]]
* This happens in ServantTheAcceptance by LoriFoster
-->"Gaby?"
-->She jerked still held by the bellicose nostalgia, she reacted on instinct. Grabbing her confronter, she put him in a deadly hold----and heard a choking laugh.
-->"God Gaby I've missed you," the strangled voice said.
-->Mort. "You idiot!" She loosed him with a shove of temper. "Don't you know better than to sneak up on me?"
* In the SherlockHolmes book "The Valley of Fear", [=McMurdo's=] girlfriend sneaks up on him while he's writing a letter:
-->If she had expected to startle him, she certainly succeeded; but only in turn to be startled herself. With a tiger spring he turned on her, and his right hand was feeling for her throat.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* In season 2 of ''{{Dexter}}'', after her recent traumatic experience of being kidnapped by a serial killer, Deb punches a guy in the nose when he comes up behind her at a bar.
* In CharliesAngels this happens a lot to Alex's boyfriend.
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' does it pretty often, which is excusable considering that she hunts monsters by baiting them into jumping out at her from the shadows. It's how she meets Oz, for example.
-->'''Oz:''' That is a tense person.

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
* ''BloomCounty'', "The Great Bloom County Snake Massacre". Several main characters set out to kill a snake at the local swimming hole. In one strip Binkley was carrying a club when the groundhog Portnoy came up behind him, touched his shoulder and said "See anything?" Binkley, scared out of his mind, started wildly swinging the bat around and knocked Portnoy unconscious.

[[AC:Webcomics]]
* [[KidSidekick Gordito]] is reluctant to wake up ''{{Dr McNinja}}'' for this very reason. The good doctor's parents apparently ingrained it into him [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood by attacking him in his sleep]], because...[[{{ninja}} well...]]he's a {{McNinja}}.
->'''[=McNinja=]:''' He fell down the stairs.
->'''Gordito:''' I fell down the stairs.
* In HannaIsNotABoysName Veser meets the main characters this way in a haunted theatre. This is lampshaded on the next page.
->'''Hanna:''' Hey man don't be angry. That's what happens when you run screaming through the dark, ok? Yea.
* In SomethingPositive, Peejee has a fear of puppets, and broke Aubrey's hand with a hammer when Aubrey sneaked up behind her with a handpuppet.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* TheAngryVideoGameNerd discusses the first part of this trope:
-->''"[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klltwoa6glE When it comes to horror movies, it's a tradition. They always have that moment when somebody's all alone, in a dark alley or a dark room. You're just waiting for something to happen, just waiting, and then all of a sudden... oh, it's just a friend scaring the hell out of you, though they never do it on purpose, it's not like they're playing a prank. Is that how you greet somebody? By sneaking up on them, and grabbing their shoulder?]]"''

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Happens with Hank and Brock in ''TheVentureBrothers''.
* ''AmericanDad'', naturally.

Alice throws Bob across the room the moment he touches her. Then she realizes who it was.