History Main / ThreatenAllToFindOne

* ''Film/MajorPayne'': The titular character questions his cadets whoever is responsible for hiring a biker to threaten and getting blood on his lip. He threatens them all that they will be facing brutal training full of fun and adventure. [[BrilliantButLazy Cadet]] [[TheAce Stone]] confess that he is responsible acting alone without others involvement and the previous failed attempts to get rid of Payne. Payne acknowledges his leadership ability and promotes him to squad leader.

* ''Film/MajorPayne'': The titular character questions his cadets whoever is responsible for hiring a biker to threaten and getting blood on his lip. He threatens them all that they will be facing brutal training full of fun and adventure. [[BrilliantButLazy Cadet]] [[TheAce Stone]] confess that he is responsible and responsible for the previous failed attempts to get rid of Payne and let others be involved. Payne acknowledges his leadership ability and promote him to squad leader.

--> '''Judge John Deed:''' Ready to reveal who took the photographs? ''(very long pause)'' Well, it can't be much hardship for you to spend a night in the cells, as you've been sent there by a ''(quoting them)'' "fanatical judge who's out of control".
* On some episodes of ''Series/MasterChef'', Gordon Ramsay will, instead of naming the bottom two/three cooks of the night, say something to the effect of "you know who you are" to make them step forward.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/SchindlersList'': In one scene, the Nazis are demanding to know who killed a chicken. When no one confesses, none other than [[CompleteMonster Amon Goeth]] shoots a man dead. He states that they will continue to shoot someone until someone confesses to the theft. A young boy in the group starts crying. Goeth asks him if he was the one who killed the chicken. The boy shakes his head. Goeth then asks him, "But you know who it was, yes?" The boy slowly nods, still crying. Goeth then asks him, "Who stole it?" The boy points to the man who had been shot and killed, saying with all the conviction he can muster, "HIM!" Apparently it worked, as we see Schindler in the very next scene being told to add the boy's name to his list (which will get him a place in Schindler's factory, away from the death camps). [[note]]Goeth's body language suggests he actually knew the boy was putting one over on him, but was either amused or impressed enough he gave his approval for the boy to work for Schindler.[[/note]]

A trope often seen in schools, and occasionally in workplaces and hostage situations. One person has committed an atrocity, but the authority figure does not know who is responsible. Because this is too grave to ignore, an entire group is interrogated, and often made to wait in silence until somebody confesses to the crime, or reveals who did it, with a threat that if nobody owns up by a certain time, the whole group will suffer. Expect to hear phrases such as "Who did this?", "You know who you are", or "I invite the culprit to step forward". A less reasonable authority figure will demand that the suspect owns up in front of everybody else, there and then; somebody more reasonable will invite them to confess in private. TheStoolPigeon will often be desperate to identify the culprit and may be seen being nudged or threatened. This situation can form a SadisticChoice or PrisonersDilemma for the culprit or witnesses. This situation can be a test of solidarity within the group and can lead to one person TakingTheHeat to protect the others.

* This is done in ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', in which Lois finds her dress burned and in the toilet. So in order to try and get the kids to confess, she punishes them all. In a twist, the culprit was actually Hal - so the boys ''were'' telling the truth.

There is some TruthInTelevision to this, although in schools, this practice is frowned upon nowadays. The reality is more often a downplayed version of the trope: a group is gathered together for an appeal for a confession, often with the threat of punishment for the culprit, but no consequences are threatened for the whole group.

A trope often seen in schools, and occasionally in workplaces, or hostage situations. One person has committed an atrocity, but the authority figure does not know who is responsible. Because this is too grave to ignore, an entire group is interrogated, and often made to wait in silence until somebody confesses to the crime, or reveals who did it, with a threat that if nobody owns up by a certain time, the whole group will suffer. Expect to hear phrases such as "Who did this?", "You know who you are", or "I invite the culprit to step forward". A less reasonable authority figure will demand that the suspect owns up in front of everybody else, there and then; somebody more reasonable will invite them to confess in private. TheStoolPigeon will often be desperate to identify the culprit and may be seen being nudged or threatened. This situation can form a SadisticChoice or PrisonersDilemma for the culprit or witnesses. This situation can be a test of solidarity within the group and can lead to one person TakingTheHeat to protect the others.

* ''Literature/AdrianMole'': A downplayed example in ''Growing Pains''. The headmaster Mr Scruton summons the entire school and demands to know who defaced the portrait of UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher in his office, with MustacheVandalism, and writing "three million unemployed" on her. He rants that defacing the greatest leader the country has ever known is a terrible crime, and when the culprit is found, they will immediately be expelled. His eyes bulge out so far that some of the first-years start to cry, and then the whole school is made to have handwriting tests. [[spoiler: Soon after this, the teacher Miss Elf resigns, implying that she is the culprit.]]

[[folder:Religion]]

Note: RealLife examples should be limited to ''historical'' examples only, and not examples of existing conflicts or situations.

-> ''"I want the name of the filthy little boy who put down the sugar! Step forward! Own up! Confess!"''

In Spanish media, this phenomenon is known as "Fuenteovejuna" due to associations with the [[Theatre/FuenteOvejuna eponymous]] comedic play by Creator/LopeDeVega--its most iconic scene is when the villagers refuse to reveal the murderer's identity to the royal magistrate out of solidarity.

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

* ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'': In part 2, Snape does this as a pre-emptive move, after Harry has been sighted in Hogsmeade. He warns the assembled students of punishments if anyone attempts to aid Harry, or if anyone fails to declare any knowledge of this. [[spoiler: This is played for laughs, as Harry himself then appears in the school.]]

-->'''Mother Superior''' (reading Rosemary's questions): "Does the Holy Father get erections?" "If a boy ejaculates in the swimming pool, might I get pregnant?"

--> '''Judge John Deed:''' Ready to reveal who took the photographs? ''(Very long pause)'' Well, it can't be much hardship for you to spend a night in the cells, as you've been sent there by a ''(quoting them)'' "fanatical judge who's out of control".

-->'''Ray:''' [=OkayIadmititSlimeratehalfacookieandgotslimeallovertheotherhalfandbyaccidentwithoutthinkingaboutitI=]...I ate it.

* In [[UsefulNotes/SengokuPeriod Tokugawa Japan]], ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonin_Gumi Gonin Gumi]] were groups of households who were held liable if criminals weren't delivered.

* ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'': When Alphys wants to write the assignment on the board, he discovers there is no chalk, and very awkwardly threatens to get everyone in class in trouble if nobody speaks up about the missing chalk. Noelle suggests there might be some chalk in the supply closet. It is then discovered that Susie has eaten all the chalk.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': "The Hearthswarming Club" has the Young 6 are held over after a prank causes a huge mess at the school, and told to clean the common areas where the mess is. Twilight says they'll be held until someone confesses, and she, Spike, and Rainbow Dash call each one individually to ask them about their involvement and/or knowledge of the prank. The students begin to describe their various Hearth's Warming celebrations, but they also begin to fight among themselves, fearful they'll miss their families and celebrations if the guilty party doesn't come forward. Upset at how the fighting doesn't go along with the spirit of the holiday, Gallus, the gryphon, explains that it was him because he has no family to return to and just wanted to spend a bit of time with his friends before they left. Twilight overhears this and thanks him for his confession, then tells him he'll still need to stay over the holiday. The others offer to stay as well so that Gallus won't be alone during the holiday season.

Compare IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure, which is when the authority figure ''knows'' who the guilty party is, but also knows punishing them directly will not be as effective as forcing them to watch innocent people suffer for their actions. See also SharedFateUltimatum. Compare and contract IAmSpartacus, in which ''everybody'' confesses to hide the culprit's identity.

* ''Film/SchindlersList'': In one scene, the Nazis are demanding to know who killed a chicken. When no one confesses, none other than [[CompleteMonster Amon Goeth]] shoots a man dead. He state that they will continue to shoot someone until someone confesses to the theft. A young boy in the group starts crying. Goeth asks him if he was the one who killed the chicken. The boy shakes his head. Goeth then asks him, "But you know who it was, yes?" The boy slowly nods, still crying. Goeth then asks him, "Who stole it?" The boy points to the man who had been shot and killed, saying with all the conviction he can muster, "HIM!" Apparently it worked, as we see Schindler in the very next scene being told to add the boy's name to his list (which will get him a place in Schindler's factory, away from the death camps). [[note]]Goeth's body language suggests he actually knew the boy was putting one over on him, but was either amused or impressed enough he gave his approval for the boy to work for Schindler.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/{{molesworth}}'': This is Headmaster Grimes' standard threat when "some boy" has broken the rules. Unless that boy confesses the whole school will be given detention / lines / made to dig the vegetable garden.

A trope often seen in schools, and occasionally in workplaces, or hostage situations. One person has committed an atrocity, but the authority figure does not know who is responsible. Because this is too grave to ignore, an entire group is interrogated, and often made to wait in silence until somebody confesses to the crime, or reveals who did it, with a threat that if nobody owns up by a certain time, the whole group will suffer. Expect to hear phrases such as "Who did this?", "You know who you are", or "I invite the culprit to step forward". A less reasonable authority figure will demand that the suspect owns up in front of everybody else, there and then; somebody more reasonable will invite them to confess in private. TheStoolPigeon will often be desperate to identify the culprit, and may be seen being nudged or threatened. This situation can form a SadisticChoice or PrisonersDilemma for the culprit or witnesses. This situation can be a test of solidarity within the group, and can lead to one person TakingTheHeat to protect the others.

* ''Fanfic/HarryIsADragonAndThatsOk'': When no-one admits to talking in class, Professor Umbridge punishes Conal the centaur for not telling her who it was, "saying that she wasn't going to let people defend their friends from punishment like that because it wouldn't be fair." The other students, however, suspect that ''no one'' was talking, and she just wanted an excuse to target him for [[FantasticRacism not being human]].

* At the start of ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', Private "Joker" says something comical poking fun at the drill instructor while Seargeant Hartman is doing the DrillSergeantNasty routine on the other side of the barracks. A furious Hartman storms over and demands to know who said the line, threatening to punish all of the recruits for it, although it's not until he starts picking on another recruit, "Cowboy", that Joker speaks up and confesses.
* ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'': In part 2, Snape does this as a pre-emptive move, after Harry has been sighted in Hogsmeade. He warns the assembled students of punishments for if anyone attempts to aid Harry, or if anyone fails to declare any knowledge of this. [[spoiler: This is played for laughs, as Harry himself then appears in the school.]]
* ''Film/RogueOne'': After a message about a vulnerability in the Death Star gets leaked, the Director of the project, Orson Krennic, gathers all the engineers and demands to know which of them sent that message. Meanwhile, the head engineer Galen Erso is kept to the side, as if Krennic thinks he's above suspicion. When no one confesses, Krennic declares, "Very well, I'll consider it a group effort," and orders his retinue of Death Troopers to take aim. At that point Galen steps into the line of fire and admits he was the one who leaked the message, and asks that the others be spared. Krennic puts his hand on Galen's shoulder, pulls him away from the rest of the group--[[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure and tells his troopers to open fire on the rest of the engineers anyway]].

* Initially inverted in ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''. When the slave revolt is put down, the Romans offer to spare all the captives except the leader Spartacus, who they will kill to MakeAnExampleOfThem. All they need is for someone to point out which one is Spartacus. The slaves, out of loyalty to their leader, refuse to give him up and [[IAmSpartacus they all start proclaiming that they're Spartacus]]. At this point all Roman patience runs out and they follow through on this trope, killing everyone.

* ''Literature/AdrianMole'': A downplayed example in ''Growing Pains''. The headmaster Mr Scruton summons the entire school, and demands to know who defaced the portrait of UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher in his office, with MustacheVandalism, and writing "three million unemployed" on her. He rants that defacing the greatest leader the country has ever known is a terrible crime, and when the culprit is found, they will immediately be expelled. His eyes bulge out so far that some of the first-years start to cry, and then the whole school is made to have handwriting tests. [[spoiler: Soon after this, the teacher Miss Elf resigns, implying that she is the culprit.]]

* In one of the ''Literature/JeremyJames'' children's books, this is played with in "A present from Timothy". With great reluctance, Timothy gives Jeremy James a birthday present of a torch/compass/magnifying glass, saying that ''he'' should have had it, rather than Jeremy James. Near the end of the party, this gadget disappears, and Jeremy James immediately suspects that Timothy has stolen it from the sideboard. To avoid embarrassing Timothy, Jeremy James's mother lines up all the children, tells them to close their eyes, and wish very hard that the gadget comes back. She tells them that if anyone opens their eyes, they will lose their prizes, sweets and presents; and if the gadget does not come back, they will all empty their pockets, in case the gadget accidentally fell into one. The gadget does indeed come back. Jeremy James is certain that Timothy is guilty, but keeps quiet, on pain of losing his prizes, sweets and presents.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': In ''Literature/FireAndBlood'', King Jaehaerys Targaryen's Master of Coin, Rego Draz, is murdered in the streets of Flea Bottom. Jaehaerys rides forth to recover his body, and furiously proclaims to the watching peasants that if they do not give up the names of Rego's killers, their tongues will be sliced out. A young girl leads him to a winesink where one of the killers is found with a whore in his lap and Rego's jeweled rings on his fingers, and he soon gives up the names of the other killers under torture.

* ''Series/BridesOfChrist'': The girls receive a lesson about sex, and a box is provided for them to ask questions anonymously. Soon after this, Sister Agnes storms in, demanding to know who left these "disgusting" questions. She tells the class that if nobody owns up, the science trip will be cancelled, and she will question the girls one by one. Rosemary confesses privately, and is banned from going on the trip.
--> '''Mother Superior''' (reading Rosemary's questions): "Does the Holy Father get erections?" "If a boy ejaculates in the swimming pool, might I get pregnant?"
* In the second season of ''Series/CobraKai'', some students from the new Cobra Kai dojo ransack and vandalize Daniel's dojo, including stealing the Medal of Honor that was awarded to Daniel's deceased mentor Mr. Miyagi. Johnny Lawrence punishes his entire dojo by making them do high intensity exercises, stating he'll only stop when someone confesses to being responsible.
* ''Series/ElInternadoLasCumbres'': After the students throw a wild party while faculty is out, EvilPrincipal Mara punishes them all by forcing them to stand out in the yard for hours under the rain until somebody confesses. Adèle, who didn't even get to attend, breaks down and gives up Amaia, but other students pull a reverse IAmSpartacus and start calling out the wrong names on purpose. As for Adèle, [[NobodyLikesATattletale the other students make her regret telling on Amaia]].

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Downplayed in [[Recap/StarTrekS2E15TheTroubleWithTribbles "The Trouble With Tribbles"]]. Kirk has ordered that there be no hostilities between his crew and the Klingons at Deep Space Station K-7, as they do not want an incident that would give the Klingons claim to Sherman's Planet. However, a fight broke out in a bar on the station, and Kirk has assembled all of the crew, asking various people, like Chekov, who threw the first punch. When no one answers him, he tells them they're confined to quarters until he gets the answer. But he stops Scotty from leaving. As the command officer charged with keeping the peace at the time, Scotty will have no choice but to answer when Kirk asks him which of the crew threw the first punch. Scotty sheepishly reveals that it was him, as the Klingons had called the ''Enterprise'' a "Garbage Scow". Kirk confines Scotty to quarters, which the Engineer is [[{{Unishment}} delighted to hear, as he can catch up on his technical journals.]]

* At the beginning of ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder'', the Inquisitorius learns about a Jedi presence on Brakka, but doesn't know who it is, only where they were. To compensate, they line up the group of scrappers Cal happens to be with, inform them of the Jedi in their ranks, and says they will start executing them one by one unless someone exposes the Jedi to them, or the Jedi reveals themself. This trope is then immediately downplayed when Prauf starts giving a speech against the inquisitors, getting himself killed as the first victim and prompting Cal to retaliate, exposing himself.

* ''WebComic/ScarletLady''[[note]]A fanfic [=AU=] webcomic of ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug''[[/note]]: In one episode, Chloe gets upset that the father of her nemesis Marinette is teaching a lesson to their home economics class about baking, so she calls the fire department. Even though she's the obvious guilty party, the principal Damocles won't blame anyone unless someone 'fesses up. When Chloe stays silent, he punishes everyone... [[KarmaHoudini except Chloe, who threatens to call her father]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': "The Hearthswarming Club" has the Young 6 are held over after a prank causes a huge mess at the school, and told to clean the common areas where the mess is. Twilight says they'll be held until someone confesses, and she, Spike, and Rainbow Dash call each one individually to ask them about their involvement and/or knowledge of the prank. The students begin to describe their various Hearth's Warming celebrations, but they also begin to fight among themselves, fearful they'll miss their families and celebrations if the guilty party doesn't come forward. Upset at how the fighting doesn't go along with the spirit of the holiday, Gallus, the gryphon, explains that it was him because he has no family to return to and just wanted to spend a bit of time with his friends before they left. Twilight overhears this and thanks him for his confession, then tells him he'll still need to stay over the holiday. The others offer to stay as well, so that Gallus won't be alone during the holiday season.

--> '''Ray:''' [=OkayIadmititSlimeratehalfacookieandgotslimeallovertheotherhalfandbyaccidentwithoutthinkingaboutitI=]... I ate it.

[[/folder]]

* ''WebVideo/ScootertrixTheAbridged'': In the episode "Snowdrop the Abridged", someone pranks Princess Celestia by dyeing her mane and tail pink. So Celestia gathers all her suspects (who are [[InsaneTrollLogic all children, bizarrely]]) and threatens to punish them all if the culprit doesn't confess. Then the ''blind'' filly Snowdrop has the misfortune of arriving late and asking what she missed, so Celestia immediately fixates on ''her'' as the prime suspect. Fortunately, the more level-headed Princess Luna recognizes how stupid all this is, and convinces Celestia not to punish anyone.