History Main / MuggingTheMonster

When a VideoGame character does this, it's often due to SuicidalOverconfidence. Contrast BullyingADragon, when the perpetrator knows full well how dangerous their victim is (but is [[DoNotTauntCthulhu reckless]] and/or [[TooDumbToLive stupid]] enough to provoke a confrontation anyway). See also DudeWheresMyRespect when this keeps happening with no signs of anyone figuring out the pattern. Compare CollidingCriminalConspiracies.

** And in ''{{Discworld/MenAtArms}}'', members of the Assassins' Guild gather in their courtyard to threaten the Watchmen, or possibly kill them "for trespassing" if Vimes won't back off and leave. Then they realize that one of the Watchmen is Detritus ... and that none of their elegantly-crafted stilettos or sophisticated poisons will do diddly-squat to slow down a troll.

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** Also ''Japanese'' surgeon Dr. Tenma has the balls to walk into a bar frequented by neo-nazis and ask about the gangs boss. He wouldn't take shit from anyone.

* Happens quite a few times in ''{{TheBourneSeries}}'' as people either do not know what Bourne is capable of or underestimate his abilities. A good example is in ''Bourne Identity'' when French police wake a man who is sleeping on a park bench. Instead of a bum, it's Jason Bourne, who takes down both cops in seconds.

* In the first Christopher Reeve ''Film/{{Superman}}'' movie, a mugger points a gun at Lois Lane and ... Clark Kent. (Since Lois was around, however, ol' Kal El couldn't open his special Kryptonian brand of whoop-ass on the crook for fear Lois would notice -- although he ''did'' snatch the mugger's bullet out of midair when it otherwise would have hit her.)

** In an earlier TomClancy novel, ''WithoutRemorse,'' that same former SEAL is much younger and going about his RoaringRampageOfRevenge for his [[StuffedIntoTheFridge murdered]] LoveInterest. He is staggering down the street disguised as a wino when a cop grabs him by the shoulder, thinking [[TooDumbToLive he might be the serial crook-killer]] they're looking for. Said cop finds himself pinned face down on the concrete before he can figure out what happened.

* In Wolfblade, a Warhammer 40K novel, while on Terra 3 Space Wolves are out at a pub having a quiet dinner. Some morons try to start a brawl with them. Note, said Wolves are Astartes, are about 8 or 9 feet tall, are superstrong and fast, and were wearing their power armor. Needless to say, the morons got their brawl.

* ''{{The X-Files}}'' episode ''Terms of Endearment'' involved a part-demon man who would extract the demonic fetuses of his wives before they could be born and reveal his secret. Until he tries it on one woman who wakes up during the extraction process. "I said, what are you doing, Wayne?" In the end, she escapes with the baby, and Mulder and Scully conclude that he finally found someone more evil than he.

* ''{{Jekyll}}'': "He's got a knife. Minimum necessary force."
** Of course, it's [[PsychopathicManchild Mister Hyde's]] definition of [[NeckSnap minimum necessary force]].
* In the DoctorWho story ''Silver Nemesis'' a pair of men try to mug the time traveling 17th century villain Lady Peinforte and her criminal servant Richard. The next time we see the men, they're hanging by their ankles from a tree, {{Bound and Gagged}}, in only their underpants as their clothes burn in a pile beneath them.
* From ''A Thousand Ways to Die'', a mugger tries to rob a sweet, friendly-looking old woman... who happens to be a fifth degree black belt and has been practicing for most of her life. Needless to say, it's a CurbStompBattle, and ends with the old lady punching the mugger in the throat, crushing his larynx with his Adam's apple. CrowningMomentOfAwesome also applies. Also from this show, a rapist attacks a transvestite, who happens to be a champion boxer. "I am NOT a lady!" Cue the rapist on the asphalt in the alley and dead.

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* ''TheFarSide'': "Why...yes...thank...you...[[AliensInCardiff I...would...like...]][[ClarkKenting a...knuckle...sandwich.]]" [[http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehboypop/2842106530/]]
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* In ''{{YAFGC}}'', a foxwoman finds a young man going to visit his grandmother. She takes human form, lures him with the promise of random sex, and then shifts into her foxwoman form, making it look she's going to eat him. Turns out the man is a shapeshifted dragon.

* ''TheFarSide'': "Why...yes...thank...you...[[AliensInCardiff I...would...like...]][[ClarkKenting a...knuckle...sandwich.]]" [[http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehboypop/2842106530/]]

Needless to say, the would-be mugger quickly gets his backside handed to him.

->''(after being antagonized by a Texan in a cowboy hat)'' "I'm telling you you're in the wrong film, fatboy. You're not in the cowboy film you thought you were in. This is a different kind of movie, and you're in the scene where the redneck shitkicker picks on the stranger in town, only it turns out to be big Arnie, or a gang of Vampires."
-->-- '''King Mob''' ''TheInvisibles''

Basically this is when some [[BitPartBadGuys random crook]], occassionaly [[StupidCrooks pretty stupid]], has the misfortune of targeting someone much more powerful than he anticipated. When the BigBad monster/alien assassin/robot from the future appears, the criminal acts as an AcceptableTarget (specifically, an AssholeVictim) for them to begin their massacre. Alternatively TheHero is held up while going about their business. If they have a SecretIdentity then it can lead to a BruceWayneHeldHostage scenario, but if the [[IdiotBall criminal attacked them in costume]] or the hero is just some {{Badass}} WalkingTheEarth then it typically just serves as an introduction. Bonus points if the would be victim looks particularly vulnerable.

->(after being antagonized by a Texan in a cowboy hat) "I'm telling you you're in the wrong film, fatboy. You're not in the cowboy film you thought you were in. This is a different kind of movie, and you're in the scene where the redneck shitkicker picks on the stranger in town, only it turns out to be big Arnie, or a gang of Vampires."
-->-- '''King Mob'''

Basically this is when some [[BitPartBadGuys random crook]] has the misfortune of targeting someone much more powerful than he anticipated. When the BigBad monster/alien assassin/robot from the future appears, the criminal acts as an AcceptableTarget (specifically, an AssholeVictim) for them to begin their massacre. Alternatively TheHero is held up while going about their business. If they have a SecretIdentity then it can lead to a BruceWayneHeldHostage scenario, but if the [[IdiotBall criminal attacked them in costume]] or the hero is just some {{Badass}} WalkingTheEarth then it typically just serves as an introduction. Bonus points if the would be victim looks particularly vulnerable.

* In an issue of ''{{Spider-Man}}'', Spidey saw several gang-bangers with knives surrounding a short man in a trenchcoat and swung down to the rescue, his thought balloon going 'I have to save that guy from being killed by those muggers!' When the man in question [[{{XMen}} popped his adamantium claws]], Spidey (in mid-swing) immediately shifted his internal monologue to 'I have to save those muggers from being killed by Wolverine!'

* ''LuckyLuke'' sometimes defeats random bandits casually. In one case, he traveled through a mountain pass, [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands casually disarming indians and bandits]] while monologueing to his CoolHorse. When he arrived at his destination, he expressed surprise at being told there were bandits in that pass, and couldn't explain where the arrow in his hat came from. But then again, he is a BoringInvincibleHero...

* The Dutch cartoon ''Humor in Beroepen: Politie'' (trans. Humor in Jobs: Police) cortains a number of 'unlucky crook' tales. But the best one is about a crook whom first tries to rob an elderly lady and [[NeverMessWithGranny gets beaten into submission with an umbrella]], then tries some car-jacking while the (very large) owner is standing behind him, and finally tries to rob a young lady only [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom to be sent flying with a karate kick]]. In the last panel he is at the police station complaining that his neighborhood has gotten too dangerous.
* The setup of ''{{FreakAngels}}'' is somehwere between this and BullyingADragon. The government obviously knew that the children were dangerous. That's why they were going after them, they were concerned they were a national security risk. But no one, including the FreakAngels themselves, realized just how world-wreckingly dangerous they were.
*There was a comic where a gang of thugs try to mug a blind man wearing a $300 suit. It was [[OhCrap Daredevil]].

* ''KillBill'': a drunken salaryman solicits the ''seeraafuku''-clad assassin Go-go. He gets "penetrated".

* A man steals Miss Piggy's purse in ''The Muppets Take Manhattan''. She screams after his retreating form, and then, very politely, walks up to a gentleman sitting on a bench and asks to borrow his roller skates. Hilarity ensues as the thief frantically tries to get away from Miss Piggy, who, of course, has her trademark psychotic look on her face. Later, when she gets him, and a cop takes him away, he makes a valiant effort at revisionist history:
--> '''Thief:''' She stole my purse!
--> '''Miss Piggy:''' ''What?!''
--> '''Cop:''' Nice try, buddy.

** One reason Hiro prefers his swords is their tendency to avert this trope; skinheads aside, most lowlife types aren't dumb enough pick fights with someone who is ''obviously carrying a pair of swords''. And even the skinhead might not have tried it without a roomful of buddies, not that they improved his life expectancy any.

** Who would attempt to rob a group of travelers consisting of a [[BadAss huge, scarred man]], an [[KnightTemplar animated suit of armor carrying a huge axe]], a MagicKnight with an EmpathicWeapon, a street savvy [[HalfHumanHybrid half-demonic]] ActionGirl, a [[HornyDevil succubus]], a [[PowerFloats floating]] and [[IncendiaryExponent constantly alight]] AxCrazy mage, a rogue from a [[MechaMooks robotic]] HiveMind, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and a wisecracking floating skull]]? If ''PlanescapeTorment'' is to be believed, every thug in the goddamn [[WretchedHive Hive]].

* Early in ''Return to Krondor'', two random muggers attempt to rob legendary thief Jimmy the Hand - who in fact scolds them for not recognizing a dangerous mark when they see one, yet they try it anyway.

** Played straight (albeit more mildly) in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html another strip]]; [[GiveMeBackMyWallet Pickpocketing The Rogue]] if you will.

-->'''Xykon:''' ...and it turned out oops! He was also an archmage! Needless to say, [[HilarityEnsues hilarity ensued]].

* Mocked in ''AnotherGamingComic''. Within the tabletop game the characters play, poorly-equipped bandits attack a group of "flying, flaming weaponmasters" -- a standard D&D party. "They're bandits, not brain surgeons."

%comment% Please put personal anecdotes on the "Troper Tales" wiki page (there's a link at the top of the page). NOT HERE!

%comment% Please put personal anecdotes on the "Troper Tales" wiki page (there's a link at the top of the page). NOT HERE!