History Main / WhyIsntItAttacking

* The lone Critic Burnt in [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]], which you find in the tunnels of the metro; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button or if you try to use any items or moves to get it to run away from you,]] so [[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption you're forced to have him kill it, even though it not only poses no threat to you, but is desperately begging you for help.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* Invoked in the most literal sense in ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon''. After Hiccup frees the Night Fury he ensnared (that is, the dragon he'd later name "Toothless"), it corners him, screams in his face, and runs off. This one event essentially kicks off the entire plot, because up until then Hiccup had been taught that dragons will always take the kill shot if given a fraction of a chance. It's implied that Toothless himself has this reaction when it becomes evident that Hiccup is cutting him free rather than stabbing him.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'': As of [[VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld ''World'']], certain monsters will only become hostile if you initiate combat first, some are even content to walk shoulder to shoulder with you! This also applies to the [[DraconicAbomination Elder Dragons]], showcasing the [[ItCanThink intelligence of the creatures]] and how they are willing to live and let live after a [[GreatOffscreenWar long-past war]] between the Hunters and Elder Dragons came to a close.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', Rom the Vacuous Spider is one: as a vacuous BarrierMaiden, it has no intent to do harm; however, this is a ButThouMust moment, and you have to kill her to uncover the secret of Mensis Ritual. Ebrietas is another one, as despite being an EldritchAbomination, she is willing to co-exist with humans (and even actively aid them); [[spoiler:however, if you want to resurrect Queen Annalise after sending Alfred to grind her, you have to kill Ebrietas]]. Both examples are downplayed in that the entities in question will start fighting back once they've had enough of your abuse.

* In ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', Kruge ponders ''why'' the ''Enterprise'', which has a weapon advantage of 10 to 1, hasn't finished him off(it's because the ship is jury rig automated to operate with only 5 crewman because Kirk stole it so taking a single hit anywhere damaged this system and it's dead in the water), and the captain is parleying terms of surrender instead. Kruge is smart enough to call ''Kirk'' on his bluff.
* The climactic battle of ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' has the ''[[CoolStarship Enterprise]]'' under attack from an enemy ship that can stay cloaked while attacking[[note]] Normally, cloaked ships are required to uncloak before they attack, due to limitations in the Phlebotinum[[/note]], causing Kirk to initially order his ship to pull back. ''Both'' commanders on either side ask this question about the other: Kirk wonders why his enemy does not press his advantage; his enemy wants to make sure the ''Enterprise'' cannot ascertain his exact location before attacking the larger ship.

* The climactic battle of ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' has the ''[[CoolStarship Enterprise]]'' under attack from an enemy ship that can stay cloaked while attacking[[note]] Normally, cloaked ships are required to uncloak before they attack, due to limitations in the Phlebotinum[[/note]], causing Kirk to initially order his ship to pull back. ''Both'' commanders on either side ask this question about the other: Kirk wonders why his enemy does not press his advantage; his enemy wants to make sure the ''Enterprise'' cannot ascertain his exact location before attacking the larger ship.

* In ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', Kruge ponders ''why'' the ''Enterprise'', which has a weapon advantage of 10 to 1, hasn't finished him off, and the captain is parleying terms of surrender instead. Kruge is smart enough to call ''Kirk'' on his bluff.

There are a few possible reasons, and not all are good. On the positive end, he may be a [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch rebel]] [[DefectorFromDecadence good guy]], or a good guy [[TheInfiltration disguised]] as a [[FlockofWolves a bad guy]], or the bad guys are really DarkIsNotEvil, or their motives for chasing them were [[PoorCommunicationKills benign but misinterpreted]]. Or maybe this was the orc [[AndroclesLion she saved]] years ago repaying the favor, he [[WasOnceAMan was once a human]] and feels pity, or he's [[ReluctantMonster lonely]] and wants a companion. He will usually demonstrate his good intentions by [[StabTheScorpion protecting Alice]] from other threats, which may involve knocking her out and/or taking her to his home. When she wakes up, she may think she's ExploringTheEvilLair, and before long she'll be asking "ArentYouGoingToRavishMe" followed by his puzzled "No." By the time Bob shows up, she'll likely have to stop them both from a [[LetsYouAndHimFight fight over her]]. If the author wants to be cruel, Bob will kill him before Alice can explain.

* The titular character of ''Film/{{Fido}}'' is a zombie. In the film's universe, zombies are rendered docile by electrical collars, but if the collar shorts out, in theory the zombie reverts to munching on those [[ImAHumanitarian tasty people]]. Through several accidents Fido's collar does malfunction, but he doesn't eat either the boy who is his "owner" or his mother. The mother actually even says, "Why aren't you attacking me?" [[spoiler:The zombie sort of has the hots for her. It's actually less [[{{Squick}} Squicky]] than it sounds.]]

* ''Film/TheHost'' looked like it was going to do this when [[spoiler:it captured the protagonists' daughter]], but it was subverted when [[spoiler: it ate her later]].

* This is first played straight, but ultimately subverted in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', where one of the soldiers of a band of Titan killers is cornered by one of the smaller Titans, who (thinking that she is one of the [[spoiler:Titans in human form]]) desperately tries to [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/shingeki_no_kyojin/c018.5/14.html hold back]] its HorrorHunger (to the point of clawing its face until drawing blood), and tries to communicate. This clues to her (and the audience) the unsettling revelation that the terrifying, humanoid giants that have plagued humanity after nearly exterminating them several hundred years ago... the seemingly unintelligent creatures who have devoured humans and caused untold atrocities for their last remaining stronghold... [[spoiler: are not only intelligent but [[TragicMonster transformed humans]]]]. Eventually the Titan succumbs to hunger and, in obvious despair (and possible anger about being wrong about her identity), devours the unlucky scout before she can escape.

* Roleplay/DCNation: During the "Strangers" plot where several Titans were swapped out with their {{Evil Counterpart}}s, the thing that tipped the heroes off to something being amiss was that the people they thought were their enemies weren't attacking. Connor Hawke was the first to voice this aloud, able to read Troia's body language and quickly assess that her posture was not that of an attacker, preventing Arsenal from firing a fatal shot.

* ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheOutback'': An inversion of sorts. When Maddy accidentally falls on [[spoiler: Chazzie, both are shocked and huddle in fear, with Chazzie calling for his dad.]] After a few moments he cautiously glances at Maddy, and realizes that despite what [[spoiler: his father has been telling him]] all this time about the animals they are trying to catch being dangerous monsters, in reality she is just as scared of him as he is of her.

** The page quote comes from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden'''s remake, ''Echoes: Shadows of Valentia''. If attacked by Alm, Rudolf will not counter or attack. This prompts Alm to ask just ''what'' Rudolf is planning. [[spoiler:Rudolf is committing SuicideByCop — he ''wants'' his son, Alm, to kill him, and he cannot bring himself to even so much as defend himself against his own son.]]

* The lone Critic Burnt in [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]] which you find in the tunnels of the metro; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button or if you try to use any items or moves to get it to run away from you,]] so [[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption you're forced to have him kill it, even though it not only poses no threat to you, but is desperately begging you for help.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* The lone Critic Burnt you face in the metro in [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]]; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button or if you try to use any items or moves to get it to run away from you,]] so [[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption you're forced to have him kill it, even though it not only poses no threat to you, but is desperately begging you for help.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* The Critic Burnt from [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]]; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button or if you try to use any items or moves to get it to run away from you,]] so [[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption you're forced to have him kill it, even though it not only poses no threat to you, but is desperately begging you for help.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* The Critic Burnt from [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]]; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button or if you try to use any items or moves to get it to run away from you,]] and [[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption and you're forced to have him kill it, even though it not only poses no threat to you, but is desperately begging you for help.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* The Critic Burnt from [[Videogame/{{Off}} OFF]]; unlike all other enemies you've encountered, it doesn't attack you at all, instead screaming for help over and over. [[ButThouMust The Batter refuses to flee, no matter how many times you press the button, and you're forced to have him kill it.]] [[HeelRealization For many players, this is the moment where they start to realize that what they're doing in the name of "purity" might not be so noble at all.]]

* ''TheMatrixRevolutions'': A ZergRush of Sentinels is about to overrun Zion, only to stop at the last second. Morpheus soon realizes that Neo must be up to something, holding them back.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' episode "Gamma World", Thor is fighting Absorbing Man, who has taken on the substance of Mjolnir. Absorbing Man seems to be beating Thor to a pulp, all the while shouting at the god to get up and fight. Moments later, Thor raises his hand and stops Absorbing Man in mid-swing. Thor then shows him [[HoistByHisOwnPetard why taking on Mjolnir's properties was a bad idea]], by controlling ''him'' just like he controls his hammer.

On your StealthBasedMission, you'll need to hide from a [[EverythingTryingToKillYou horde]] of flesh eating AlwaysChaoticEvil [[TheUsualAdversaries ubiquitous mooks]]. Normally you'd fail the mission immediately even when some enemy ''thinks'' you are there nearby and triggers the alarm, but surprisingly, sometimes a {{Mook}} [[BeingWatched has been watching you]] the whole time... and hasn't attacked or revealed your location.

* In ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia: Paint it, White!'', [[spoiler:after escaping the alien mothership,]] the nations wonder why the Pictonians paused their attack upon seeing Italy. [[spoiler:Turns out that because the Pictonians have no faces, they were confused by his extreme expressions.]]