History Main / TheGlovesComeOff

* In ''Manga/BungouStrayDogs'', Nakahara Chuuya take off his gloves when he uses his [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique ability's true form]].

* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', you can tell [[BadassNormal Mifune]] is getting serious when he spits out the toothpick he's constantly chewing on.
* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}''

* Vash the Stampede reaches this point near the end of ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'', when he [[spoiler:kills Legato Bluesummers]] in order to save Millie and Meyrl. Oddly for this trope, the act itself is rather understated, rather than being an epic fight scene.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Averted (albeit just barely) during the Grand Magic Games, when [[spoiler:Lucy received a ''brutal'' beatdown from Minerva that strayed just on the side of the line that kept it from breaking the rules.]] Erza managed to defuse the situation, but the entire situation was within a hairsbreadth of degenerating into a showdown between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail that completely threw the competition rules out the window, and likely would have drawn in all the friends Fairy Tail had in the other competing teams as well. Which was at ''least'' half of them.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}'': After Leo learns that Raph is the Nightwatcher, the two brothers get into a gigantic argument that eventually devolves into a duel. Raph, having already lost the vision-restricting helmet, draws his sais, the weapons he's been trained with since birth, and Leo, realizing that Raph is serious, draws his swords, indicating the two brothers are ready to fight for real.

* WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}: After Leo learns that Raph is the Nightwatcher, the two brothers get into a gigantic argument that eventually devolves into a duel. Raph, having already lost the vision-restricting helmet, draws his sais, the weapons he's been trained with since birth, and Leo, realizing that Raph is serious, draws his swords, indicating the two brothers are ready to fight for real.

* WesternAnimation/TMNT: After Leo learns that Raph is the Nightwatcher, the two brothers get into a gigantic argument that eventually devolves into a duel. Raph, having already lost the vision-restricting helmet, draws his sais, the weapons he's been trained with since birth, and Leo, realizing that Raph is serious, draws his swords, indicating the two brothers are ready to fight for real.

* “WesternAnimation/TMNT”: After Leo learns that Raph is the Nightwatcher, the two brothers get into a gigantic argument that eventually devolves into a duel. Raph, having already lost the vision-restricting helmet, draws his sais, the weapons he's been trained with since birth, and Leo, realizing that Raph is serious, draws his swords, indicating the two brothers are ready to fight for real.

[[folder:Film]]

* “WesternAnimation/TMNT”: After Leo learns that Raph is the Nightwatcher, the two brothers get into a gigantic argument that eventually devolves into a duel. Raph, having already lost the vision-restricting helmet, draws his sais, the weapons he's been trained with since birth, and Leo, realizing that Raph is serious, draws his swords, indicating the two brothers are ready to fight for real.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Averted (albeit just barely) during the Grand Magic Games, when [[spoiler:Lucy received a ''brutal'' lethal beatdown from Minerva that strayed just on the side of the line that kept it from breaking the rules.]] Erza managed to defuse the situation, but the entire situation was within a hairsbreadth of degenerating into a showdown between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail that completely threw the competition rules out the window, and likely would have drawn in all the friends Fairy Tail had in the other competing teams as well. Which was at ''least'' half of them. Later on, when Minerva tortured Milliana, that proved to be the [[RageBreakingPoint final straw]] for Erza and [[TheDogBitesBack gives her sweet, sweet payback]] by defeating her.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Averted (albeit just barely) during the Grand Magic Games, when [[spoiler:Lucy received a ''brutal'' lethal beatdown from Minerva that strayed just on the side of the line that kept it from breaking the rules.]] Erza managed to defuse the situation, but the entire situation was within a hairsbreadth of degenerating into a showdown between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail that completely threw the competition rules out the window, and likely would have drawn in all the friends Fairy Tail had in the other competing teams as well. Which was at ''least'' half of them. Later on, when Minerva tortured Millains, that proved to be the [[RageBreakingPoint final straw]] for Erza and [[TheDogBitesBack gives her sweet, sweet payback]] by defeating her.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Averted (albeit just barely) during the Grand Magic Games, when [[spoiler:Lucy received a ''brutal'' beatdown from Minerva that strayed just on the side of the line that kept it from breaking the rules.]] Erza managed to defuse the situation, but the entire situation was within a hairsbreadth of degenerating into a showdown between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail that completely threw the competition rules out the window, and likely would have drawn in all the friends Fairy Tail had in the other competing teams as well. Which was at ''least'' half of them. Later on, when Minerva tortured Millains, that proved to be the [[RagebBreakingPoint final straw]] for Erza and [[TheDogBitesBack gives her sweet, sweet payback]].

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Averted (albeit just barely) during the Grand Magic Games, when [[spoiler:Lucy received a ''brutal'' beatdown from Minerva that strayed just on the side of the line that kept it from breaking the rules.]] Erza managed to defuse the situation, but the entire situation was within a hairsbreadth of degenerating into a showdown between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail that completely threw the competition rules out the window, and likely would have drawn in all the friends Fairy Tail had in the other competing teams as well. Which was at ''least'' half of them.

* In the world of police and military, escalation of force is this. It's a concept that demands such groups use only the lowest level of force possible in neutralizing a threat. If simply demanding a suspect or enemy surrender is all it takes to accomplish this, there's no need to use physical force period, if all it takes to subdue a combative criminal is a stun gun there's no need to use a sidearm, etc. When these lower levels of force fail or if the criminal or enemy acts in a way where there's no time to apply this concept[[note]]Such as charging at a police officer or making a move to harm someone else, where applying escalation of force would undoubtedly lead to injury or death, then immediately using a high level of force, even lethal, is authorized[[/note]], then the gloves come off and the police or military use higher levels of force. It's also a large driving point of why many cops are wearing body cams nowadays: having how a cop acted be on camera goes a long way to proving that their use of force was authorized, [[PoliceBrutality or that it wasn't]]. Note that this is only the most condensed explanation possible; there are ''entire books'' of how this concept works, thousands of laws that explain or restrict it, and no end of ifs ands or buts that affect it or change how it works.

* In their final fight in ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', [[spoiler: Godzilla loses his temper after taking a few hits and finally goes all-out on Kong, decisively defeating and nearly killing him in short order]].

During a fight, a person can have a lot on their mind. They're trying to defeat their opponent, while avoiding injury themselves. They may be trying to protect {{Innocent Bystander}}s, or avoid unnecessary collateral damage. Perhaps they're laboring under [[TheFettered self-imposed restrictions]] or they're just [[IAmNotLeftHanded holding back for fun]]. For whatever reason, they're not giving things their all.

** [[TheHero Kira Yamato]] and [[TheRival Athrun Zala]] take the gloves off during [[WhamEpisode Phase 30]] of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed''. Until then, they'd been holding back due to being each other's ForgottenChildhoodFriend and Kira's ReluctantWarrior tendencies. But when Kira managed to [[spoiler: kill Athrun's friend Nicol in self-defense in the previous episode/"Phase"]], Athrun loses all restraint. When they fight again, he throws himself into a genuine battle to the death with Kira for the first time. And while Kira is still not keen on fighting Athrun, ''that'' all changes [[spoiler:when ''his'' friend Tolle arrives to provide cover fire, and Athrun kills ''him'' in self-defense]]. And ''that's'' when Kira [[UnstoppableRage finally decides to stop holding back]], and the two start ripping each others' Gundams apart in a furious bid to kill one another.

** Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala take the gloves off during [[WhamEpisode Phase 30]] of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed''. Until then, they'd been holding back due to being each other's ForgottenChildhoodFriend and Kira's ReluctantWarrior tendencies. But when Kira manages to [[spoiler: kill Athrun's friend Nicol in self-defense]], Athrun throws himself into a genuine battle to the death with Kira for the first time. And while Kira is still not keen on fighting Athrun, ''that'' all changes [[spoiler:when ''his'' friend Tolle arrives to provide cover fire, and Athrun kills ''him'' in self-defense]]. And ''that's'' when Kira [[UnstoppableRage finally decides to stop holding back]], and the two start ripping each others' Gundams apart in a furious bid to kill one another.

* ''Franchise/{{Gujdam}}''

* Kira and Athrun take the gloves off during the WhamEpisode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed''. Until then, they'd been holding back due to being each other's ForgottenChildhoodFriend and Kira's ReluctantWarrior tendencies. But when they manage to [[spoiler:each kill a friend of the other in self-defense]], they throw themselves into genuine battle to the death for the first time.

* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'', this happens twice. First, when [[MemeticBadass Norris Packard]] fights the eponymous 08th Team in order to buy time for a hospital ship to escape, [[HeroicSacrifice knowing he'll be left behind]]. Second, when Shiro makes an exception to his [[TechnicalPacifist Technical Pacifism]] for [[spoiler:Ginias in the Apsalus]]. With permission from [[spoiler:Ginias' sister]], no less.