History Main / MexicanStandoff

* The two-person point-blank variant of this is used in Creator/JohnWoo's ''Film/ABetterTomorrow II'', ''Film/TheKiller'', ''Film/BulletInTheHead'', ''Film/BrokenArrow1996'', and ''Film/HardBoiled''. As a result, it's sometimes called the "John Woo Standoff."

* ''Film/{{AmericanMade}}'': Barry Seal (Creator/TomCruise) is disavowed by the CIA after working for them covertly, and while frantically trying to get rid of evidence, he is simultaneously arrested by the DEA, ATF, Arkansas State Police and the FBI, who are pointing their guns at each other as much as they're pointing them at Barry.

* In ''Series/GetSmart'', Max and 99, attempting to protect a KAOS defector, comes up upon one of these in a hotel. The KAOS agent at the desk threatens them with a pistol, but he's covered by a maid, who's covered by the janitor, who's covered by another guest, who's covered by the hotel chef. As soon as Max, 99, and the defector leave the room, everyone fires and Max laments "All it takes is ''one'' wiseguy...".

* Played with in ''Series/{{Hunter}}'' when a DirtyCop decides to sell a large stash of drugs he's found to TheCartel. It starts with them all pointing guns at each other in mutual suspicion until the cop says, "Well ''one'' of us has got to start trusting the other" and holsters his gun so they can all get on with the deal.

*** "[[{{Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E12WhoMournsForMorn}} Who Mourns for Morn?]]" has one with four armed parties, and an unarmed Quark, in a Mexican Standoff over a cargo container of money.

* Happens to the Hulk's supporting cast in an issue of ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''. For some reason, writer Creator/PeterDavid thinks this is the perfect opportunity to [[AuthorTract deliver a topically belated, satirical comment]]: "Is it just me, or is this how we got involved in Vietnam?"

It's OlderThanRadio and has been around long enough to be ''parodied'' in the play "The Critic", first staged in 1779. The term itself, however, originated in the 19th century — possibly in Australia, of all places — regarding perceived political indecision in Mexico.

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

--> '''Carson:''' And here we go...

-->'''Picard:''' What shall it be, Tomalak?
-->'''Tomalak:''' You will still not survive our assault.
-->'''Picard:''' And you will not survive ours. Shall we die together?
-->'''Tomalak:''' (''beat'') [[WorthyOpponent I look forward to our next meeting, Captain]].

* ''Webciomic/BrickworldSaga'' has a truly massive standoff with over twenty participants on five different sides, including pirates, cyborgs, and the undead.

* In the first season of ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'', a bit of a one-sided Standoff occurs in the bar when ComicBook/NickFury holds a gun to [[spoiler:the robotic ComicBook/LexLuthor spy]] Lance M Donovan, and every hero in the bar responds by pointing whatever weapons they have (including [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} claws]], [[ComicBook/ThePunisher guns]], [[ComicBook/IronMan} pulse cannons]], [[ComicBook/SpiderMan web shooters]], and [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk fists of fury]]) at him.

* This leads to tragedy in ''Film/CourageUnderFire''. [[spoiler:A mutinous soldier is pointing his weapon at Captain Walden, when Iraqi troops suddenly appear out of the darkness behind him. Walden fires at them and is shot in return by the soldier, who thinks he is the target. Realising he will be court-martialed for this blunder, he later engineers Walden's death by UnfriendlyFire.]]

%%* Parodied many times in ''Film/TheMummyTrilogy''.

** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' has a particularly interesting one, involving five people (one of whom isn't even directly related to the argument and pulls out his guns because everyone else does), each with two guns pointing at two other people. During the course of a conversation, they constantly switch who they are pointing their guns at. The whole thing becomes moot when [[spoiler:Jack tries to shoot Barbossa. The shot is a dud, prompting everyone to fire at everyone else with the exact same result. Turns out flintlock guns don't work when they have water in 'em.]]

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''Fray shoots him in the face''\\

[[folder:Fanfiction]]

* In this ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1910801/1/Constants fanfiction]], it's referenced by name.

* Hawkmoth and Ladybug [[spoiler: learn each other's identities at the same time while in his dining room]] in ''Fanfic/SomeoneToWatchOverMe''. She has the element of surprise [[spoiler: since she transformed first]], but she's seen him fight off both her and Chat Noir at the same time before, and it seems like he wants to talk, so she doesn't immediately leap to the attack. If they walk away, though, ''both'' of them can get reinforcements.

* There's a crossover fanfiction wherein [[Series/DoctorWho the Eighth Doctor]], Film/{{Blade}}, [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]], [[Series/TheXFiles Mulder, and Scully]] find themselves in one of these. When a swarm of vampires suddenly show up, the Doctor — the only one involved without a weapon — remarks that things are starting to get a bit ludicrous…

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}!'' has a fun standoff as three separate groups simultaneously try and hold up a dinner car on a train. Two groups have guns and the third has a knife. The guy with the knife quickly apologizes, closes the door, and walks away.

* Happens at least twice — so far — in ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Once during Revy's epic battle with Roberta, and then again (with [[MeleeATrois three participants]]) in ''Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise''.
** There's also the short standoff between Revy and Dutch during the Nazi arc following Revy getting the [[AxCrazy Whitman Fever]] and trying to gun down the noncombatant contractors on board the ship along with her Nazi quarry.
* Spike and Vicious engage in a Mexican Standoff in the fifth episode of ''Anime/CowboyBebop''. Spike's got a gun, and Vicious holds a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] to the space cowboy's chest. They both attack each other, and Spike nearly dies, revealing flashbacks about both men's pasts. One seems to develop earlier in the same episode where Spike encounters an armed mook holding Faye as a hostage/human shield. Spike casually shoots him in the head.
** Repeated in the final episode. [[spoiler:Interestingly, the standoff is a result of each man disarming the other. Spike has Vicious's sword, Vicious has Spike's gun. In a ShoutOut to ''Film/ABetterTomorrow II'', they give them ''back'' and ''then'' both die.]]
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'''s first season ends with a Mexican Standoff that's [[spoiler:resolved after the FadeToBlack]]. One of the big mysteries going onto the OddlyNamedSequel is what exactly happened, since [[spoiler:all parties involved are shown to be alive and well one year later (not to mention the protagonist's little sister has been replaced by a little brother).]] There's another standoff much earlier, but that one is possibly disqualified by the fact that one side consists of two men with pistols while the other is a HumongousMecha with a supersized gun bigger than both men combined…
** Subverted earlier in the season, when C.C. pulls a gun on Lelouch, threatening to shoot him in the leg, in order to stop him from leaving. Lelouch responds by drawing a gun of his own, [[spoiler:but since C.C. is immortal and needs him alive to fulfill their contract, [[StopOrIShootMyself he points his gun not at C.C. but at his own head]], threatening to kill himself if he isn't allowed to leave]].

* In an episode of ''Anime/DominionTankPolice'', there is a standoff in a sewer. Buaku and his police hostage are fleeing with a stolen portrait when they are accosted by power-armor wearing mercenaries called Red Commandoes. Then the Puma Sisters show up and point guns at the Commandoes. ''Then'' the tank police show up and point guns at both. Guns are pointed at ''everyone''. No one moves, no one talks, because they all know [[BlastOut what will happen]]. Then someone sneezes…
* ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' episode "Brittle Bullet". Haruko and Commander Amarao end up in one when she reveals herself as the woman cutting his hair. They each have a gun pointed at the other's head.

* Happens a few times in ''Manga/OnePiece'', first in the prologue when Luffy is captured by bandit leader Higuma. Red Haired Shanks steps forward and a random mook points a gun at his head. Shanks, showing no signs of fear, asks him if he's prepared to pull the trigger. The mook hesitates long enough for Lucky Roo (Shanks's crewmate) to shoot him from behind.

* The premiere of ''Anime/PsychoPass'' season 2 sees a big one of these: after Akane has cornered the latent criminal Kitazawa on a rooftop, he has a shaky finger on the detonator for his suicide vest. Akane refuses to raise her Dominator at him since she doesn't want to kill him, but Enforcer Hasuike is on a neighboring rooftop and has ''his'' weapon pointed at Kitazawa. But then Ginoza points his Dominator at Hasuike, ''and then'' Inspector Aoyanagi points ''her'' Dominator at Ginoza. The situation is resolved when Kitazawa's Crime Coefficient drops into the nonlethal zone and Akane brings him in alive.

* Vash and Knives, in their climactic showdown in the finale of the ''Anime/{{Trigun}}'' anime, have a very protracted (and very dramatic) one-on-one standoff, where every attempt to break the stalemate by one character is instantly copied by the other. [[spoiler:Vash breaks it when Wolfwood's voice sounds in his head — at which point he realizes he's standing on the Punisher, giving him a move Knives can't copy.]]
** Also happens in the manga with a multi-person standoff, consisting of Wolfwood, Zazie, Hoppered, Midvalley, and Legato all holding multiple guns to each other. Vash is kind of involved, too, since Legato's using his power to keep Vash from exploding. It was kinda awesome to watch. [[spoiler:Then Meryl popped up from beneath Vash to resolve it.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck: The Hearts Of Yukon'' by Creator/DonRosa ([[http://disneycomics.free.fr/Ducks/Rosa/show.php?num=3&loc=D95044&s=date page 3, picture 6]]). If that's not one, I don't know what is.

* in ''Film/{{Infamous}}'', one happens among the bank robbers after police surround the bank as a result of [[SocialMediaBeforeReason Arielle livestreaming the robbery on social media]]. Kyle pulls a gun on Arielle, Dean pulls a gun on Kyle, and the rest of the gang pulls guns on Dean. Kyle even refers to it by name. It ends in a BlastOut.

--> '''Carson:''' And here we go…

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHQr0HCIN2w This]] video parodies it to the absurd, but when Peele calls it a Mexican standoff, that is not actually true. Only two parties are involved, and either the police officers or the perp could shoot first.

* A Challenge Round is resolved like this in season one of ''Machinima/TheLeetWorld''. Ellis drops down behind Leeroy and takes aim, only to be held at gunpoint by Westheimer, who is in turn menaced by Cortez. It ends with a BlastOut (luckily, DeathIsCheap).

* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' had this happen in Random Arenas every time a team had a ritualist, a Trap Ranger, or both. Offensive Ritualists worked best when enemies were in range, and Trap rangers require players to get closer to use the traps. While trash mobs will rarely try to get away from the spirits range, players are ''far'' smarter than that and know they'll be slaughtered if they try and ShootTheMedicFirst. So they waited until someone got impatient and [[LeeroyJenkins leeroyed]], or won because the other team all decided to surrender or leave. This was one of the reasons that a time limit before both teams went into a sudden death round. (The other being [[{{Griefer}} Rangers with kiting abilities would make the matches run forever after three of their teammates died.]]

* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' had this happen in Random Arenas every time a team had a ritualist, a Trap hunter, or both. Offensive Ritualists worked best when enemies were in range, and Trap hunters require players to get closer to use the traps. While trash mobs will rarely try to get away from the spirits range, players are ''far'' smarter than that and know they'll be slaughtered if they try and ShootTheMedicFirst. So they waited until someone got impatient and [[LeeroyJenkins leeroyed]], or won because the other team all decided to surrender or leave. This was one of the reasons that a time limit before both teams went into a sudden death round. (The other being [[{{Griefer}} Rangers with kiting abilities would make the matches run forever after three of their teammates died.]]

* In ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Chaos Theory'', one of these occurs between Sam and [[spoiler:Douglas Shetland. Shetland]] decides that [[GunpointBanter this is a good time to embark on a]] MotiveRant. It ends when [[spoiler:Shetland lowers his gun, saying, "I know you wouldn't shoot an old friend," at which point Sam (controlled by the player) shoots him in the head and [[BondOneLiner replies]], "You're right. I ''wouldn't'' shoot an old friend."]]

** Even with the end of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, nuclear weapons will keep the standoff going in perpetuity. A ''Time'' [[https://web.archive.org/web/20180623192755/http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1929553,00.html?iid=tsmodule]] considers this preferable to the level of bloodshed the pre-nuclear World Wars exemplified.

** Even with the end of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, nuclear weapons will keep the standoff going in perpetuity. A ''Time'' [[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1929553,00.html?iid=tsmodule editorial]] considers this preferable to the level of bloodshed the pre-nuclear World Wars exemplified.

* A brief subversion shows up early in ''Film/{{Predators}}''. When KnifeNut Stans realizes what sort of a DeathWorld they're on, he demands for someone to give him a gun, because his knife isn't going to cut it. After no one volunteers to give a gun to the friendly neighborhood SerialKiller, Stans catches Mombassa by surprise, holds a knife to Mombassa's neck, and demands a gun. Mombassa calmly points a gun at Stans' head, explains that he's NotAfraidToDie, and waits. It takes all of about two seconds for Stans to back down.

** Fran and Jonathan in 1928, in ''The Flower of Arizona''. Jonathan pulls a gun on Fran, who [[KnifeNut throws a knife into the wall behind him faster than he can see]].

* The premiere of ''Anime/PsychoPass'' season 2 sees a big one of these: after Akane has cornered the latent criminal Kitazawa on a rooftop, he has a shaky finger on the detonator for his suicide vest. Akane refuses to raise her Dominator at him since she doesn't want to kill him, but Enforcer Hasuike is on a neighboring rooftop and has ''his'' weapon pointed at Kitazawa. But then Ginoza points his Dominator at Hasuike, ''[[UpToEleven and then]]'' Inspector Aoyanagi points ''her'' Dominator at Ginoza. The situation is resolved when Kitazawa's Crime Coefficient drops into the nonlethal zone and Akane brings him in alive.

* The final airstrip scene in ''Film/{{Takers}}''.