History Main / TorchesAndPitchforks

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'',
** [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2010-03-28 Satan stirs up one.]]
** [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2009-07-03 And Death is targeted.]]

** Wolfsbane of the ''ComicBook/NewMutants'' got another literal torch-bearing mob after her when her powers manifested, though they'd swapped out the pitchforks for shotguns.

* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': The X-Men survived their first fight against Sentinels, but then they were attacked by an angry mob.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' episode "Mother Nature", every time the local weather reporter makes an incorrect forecast, [[DisproportionateRetribution they get run out of town by an angry mob]], who come complete with Torches And Pitchforks. [[note]]And, as crazy as it sounds, this was based on a TruthInTelevision event. An Indian weather reporter so consistently got the weather wrong that enraged viewers harassed him on the streets, waved weapons at him, and threatened his mother with a chainsaw.[[/note]]

-->-- '''Seymour Skinner''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Bart After Dark"

-->'''Kelly''': Where'd they get those torches and pitchforks so fast?!
* Parodied on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', when Pearl is at first ecstatic about the torch-bearing mob gathered beneath her castle and readies the hot pitch and firebombs, only to learn that they're part of a MinnesotaNice welcoming party. A disappointed Pearl releases the pitch and firebombs anyway.

-->'''Suzie:''' And come on, ''a pitchfork''? (returns it to the gardener)
* In "[[Recap/ResidentAlienS1E8EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt End of the World As We Know It]]" from ''Series/ResidentAlien'', Asta Twelvetrees tries to comfort the injured alien Harry Vanderspeigle by telling him that there will soon be a whole bunch of people looking for them. Harry has an ImagineSpot of the townsfolk of Patience coming after him with torches and pitchforks. Asta, staring at his increasingly alien body, comments that she can see how it could be a problem.

** In "Syzygy" Scully sees what appears to be a torch-bearing mob in the distance, though when they get close it's revealed their torches are of the battery-powered kind and their 'pitchfork' is a single shotgun.
** Played straight in "The Post-modern Prometheus". The townsfolk are stupid enough to burn down the MonsterOfTheWeek's barn.

* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': In "Rule of Law", a posse led by Jake Armstrong attempts to lynch the Medusan who killed Jake's brother Matt and two other humans. However, they are stopped by Joshua Finch, the newly arrived Fifth Circuit judge.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation''. "[[http://scp-wiki.wdfiles.com/local--files/scp-2975/Another%20Sun.html Another Sun]] is a Tale associated with [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2975 SCP-2975 ("Another Sun")]]. As Mobile Task Force Sigma-3 moves through a town, it is attacked by cultists literally armed with torches and pitchforks. MTF Sigma-3 manages to avoid the cultists, who eventually fall asleep.

* At the beginning of ''Haunted Legends 5: The Stone Guest'' an angry mob of torch-wielding citizens who blame local scientist Don Leporello for the disappearance of several orphans burns a straw dummy with a photo of him attached, encouraging the fire to spread to the front of his house.

* In ''Mystery Trackers 8: Nightsville Horror'' a torch and pitchfork-wielding mob of Willowsville citizens march in a Nightsville resident they believe to be the accomplice of the local bogeyman, the Owl Man.

* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' episode "Monsters R Us". The usual mob of villagers attacks Morgana's family castle, and Darkwing (Actually [[BalefulPolymorph Darkwolf]] at this point) scoffs at the idea of "a bunch of yahoos with pitchforks" coming after them. Problem is, this particular mob had tanks, [[FamilyFriendlyFirearms laser rifles]] and fighter planes at their disposal. Cue OhCrap moment from DW.

* ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}''. Qubit is helping some farmers repair the damage done by rogue superhero Plutonian when Survivor informs them that [[ThouShaltNotKill Qubit threw away a chance to kill Plutonian]]. The subequent mob doesn't have torches (it's daylight) but they do have pitchforks. Suvivor prevents the mob from lynching Qubit as he just meant to make a point, but later threatens to tell the entire world what Qubit did if he gets in his way.

The standard equipment for any angry mob that goes on a WitchHunt or sets out to EatTheRich. The mob may be going after a [[BurnTheWitch witch]], an [[EvilSorcerer evil wizard]], a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]], a MadScientist, a [[PaedoHunt perverted person]], an EvilDebtCollector, or any other unpopular local figure. If the mob is after the villain, he most probably ends up being ShamedByAMob. If they're coming after the good guys for one reason or another (like if our heroes are hiding a ReluctantMonster), their best defense is ShamingTheMob or an obstacle that will force them to go one by one, raising the question of, "WhoWillBellTheCat"

* Creator/EstherFriesner's ''Literature/MajykByAccident'' has a town that stages these regularly to get around an inconvenient law against dealing with witches. Trying to ''kill'' the witch isn't illegal, after all, and if the witch turns out to be too powerful and has to be appeased with trade goods, that's not the mob's fault. And if they find useful herbal remedies of completely unknown origin placed near her cottage, well, it must be their lucky day.

The standard equipment for any angry mob on a WitchHunt. The mob may be going after a [[BurnTheWitch witch]], an [[EvilSorcerer evil wizard]], a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]], a MadScientist, a [[PaedoHunt perverted person]], or any other unpopular local figure. If the mob is after the villain, he most probably ends up being [[ShamedByAMob shamed by the mob]]. If they're coming after the good guys for one reason or another (like if our heroes are hiding a ReluctantMonster), their best defense is ShamingTheMob or an obstacle that will force them to go one by one, raising the question of, "WhoWillBellTheCat"

* Used a couple times on ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''. On the episode "Sing a Song of Patrick", an angry mob went after [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, and passed a torches stand ([[RuleOfFunny yes, they burn, and yes, they're still underwater]]), a pitchforks stand, and a... [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking cotton candy stand]]. After all, as the man said, "You can't go riot without cotton candy!" On another episode, Spongebob and Sandy were at the movies, and [=SpongeBob=]'s wig blocked the screen. [=SpongeBob=] made the mistake of saying [[TemptingFate there was no need to start a riot]]. Take a wild guess of what happens next?

** The episode "Bubble Buddy" uses this trope... except the mob just holds needles, given that its target is a bubble.

See also KillItWithFire and BurnTheWitch for its inspiration. A FlameWar happens when you take the sentiment behind this and apply it on the Internet. When you've got pitchforks but not torches, see ProngsOfPoseidon or GardeningVarietyWeapon. If torches and pitchforks are featured in a musical, then an AngryMobSong is pretty much guaranteed.

* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'': A misunderstanding over a notebook full of gossip and rumors leads to Suzie Crabgrass being chased by a mob of students and faculty and having no idea why. When they corner her in the stairwell, she stands her ground, calls them out, and snatches a pitchfork from a gardener.

* Parodied on ''Series/AustinAndAlly'', where the shopowners of the mall form one after mistakenly believing Austin to be the mall thief. According to them, they got the torches and pitchforks at the "Torches and Pitchforks store".

* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'': A misunderstanding over a notebook full of gossip and rumors leads to Suzie Crabgrass being chased by a mob of students and faculty and having no idea why. When they corner her in the stairwell, she stands her ground, calls them out, and snatches a pitchfork from a student who had somehow produced one.

** One of the threats to young Sparks or those who start showing any Sparky tendencies without being under the protection of someone like the Baron are often hunted down by a mob of the locals, sometimes even including their own families.