Basic Trope: A person starts something that grows dangerously beyond their control, but which they cannot stop without dying or experiencing other serious consequences.
- Straight: Alice triggers a trap on purpose to get into Emperor Evulz's lair. However, that trap also triggered many other traps, so unless she wants to die, she can't stop until every trap is dealt with.
- Exaggerated: Alice triggers a trap on purpose to get into Emperor Evulz's lair. However, that trap also triggered a million other traps and summoned every henchman in the lair to kill her, so unless she wants to die or experience A Fate Worse Than Death, she can't stop until everything is dealt with.
- Downplayed: Alice triggers a trap on purpose to get into Emperor Evulz's lair. She might be able to go back the way she came or avoid the traps by lying on the ground, but it doesn't seem wise.
- Justified: ???
- Inverted: ???
- Subverted: Alice manages to dodge the next trap and turn back.
- Double Subverted: But then it turns out she also triggered another trap outside Evulz's lair that she didn't know about, and she has to go back in and deal with all the traps.
- Parodied: ???
- Zig Zagged: ???
- Averted: Alice is able to turn back without consequences.
- Enforced: The audiences have been complaining that Alice could easily choose to just walk away from the plot, so the writers add in a reason why she can't to the newest installment.
- Lampshaded:Alice: Well, I can't let go of the tiger now.
- Invoked: Emperor Evulz sets up the traps so that triggering one automatically triggers the others so that if his enemies aren't fit and light on their feet, they'll die.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: When Alice suspects that Evulz's castle may be set up like this, she abandons her plans, unwilling to let go if necessary.
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
Get back to Tiger by the Tail; you haven't got a choice now.
