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"Then something just snapped. Something inside of me. I didn't care. I didn't care anymore about being better than Kakarot. I didn't care about being a Super Saiyan. I didn't care if I lived! I didn't care about anything! And then... it happened."
— Vegeta explains how he became a Super Sayan, Dragon Ball Z
"16, you loved life. You gave everything up to save it, and you were just an android. I let you die... I can't do that, I won't watch anymore... I feel it slipping!... AND I WON'T WATCH THIS ANYMORE!"
—Gohan evokes Super Saiyan II for the first time, Dragon Ball Z
Fan Works
I remember thinking to myself "Well, that was a short, stupid adventure." I hated having to give up fighting, but once my bat had rolled out of my hand, there was nothing left for me to do except cover my head and wait for the zombies to either get bored or beat me unconscious. Pippi was shrieking louder than ever, and I hoped and prayed that somebody would hear her. Then a pair of hands found my throat, and I plunged into a fully-fledged panic.
I remember screaming, even louder than Pippi was. I remember my limbs tucking in tight to my body, desperately trying to shield myself. And I remember fear; paralyzing, mortal fear, blotting out every other thought in my head.
Then... well, I can't exactly describe it in words, my memory of it is sort of a blur now, but I think my brain switched into some sort of autopilot. My vision was suddenly nothing but a burning white, as if a very bright sun had appeared in the room. I was aware of my hands tensing into fists, of the hairs on my arms standing up, of something that felt like a powerful gust blowing my hair and clothes...
Then the pain stopped. Somehow, all at once, they were gone. Under normal circumstances, I think I would have been too sore to move, but my body still seemed to be acting almost on its own. I rose unsteadily to my feet, not taking in anything from my surroundings except for Pippi, who looked stunned.
Literature
My vision ran red as bloodlust howled deep in my heart. The pressure in my head exploded. Something inside me broke.
My Gift awoke.
Wind shrieked around me, tearing at stone and rubble. Unearthly strength flooded through me. A thousand fragmented thoughts from the city above roared into my mind. Too much. All too... much...
When my senses returned, I was drenched in blood and covered in bits of bone and gobbets of flesh.
— The Traitor God, by Cameron Johnston
Tattletale: It's called the trigger event. Researchers theorize that for every person with powers out there, there's one to five people with the potential for powers, who haven't met the conditions necessary for a trigger event. You need to be pushed to the edge. Fight or flight responses pushed to their limits, further than the limits, even. Then your powers start to emerge.
Regent: Basically, for your powers to manifest, you’re going to have to have something really shitty happen to you.
— Worm
Live-Action TV
"Logan Kinear died instantly, and I ruined my favorite button-down. And that is the story of how I discovered I was telekinetic."
— Eliot, The Magicians (2016)
Marie: I didn't know I had powers until my first period. I couldn't control the blood, and it sliced through my mom's body. Dad came in. Same deal. I'm the last person who thinks they're a hero. I fսcking hate myself half the time. And I just spent the entire night being dragged around like a show pony, so I'm not in the mood for your shit.
Cate: Hey. We were camping. I was nine. My parents were setting up the tent. My little brother kept kicking at my shins, so I grabbed him by the arm and I told him to go away and never come back. So he did. He just walked right into the woods. That was the first time my powers showed up. [...] There was a... search party. Dogs. You know? It went on for weeks. But... nothing. My mom never touched me again. Neither did my dad.
[...]
Jordan: I killed my grandpa with my powers.
Cate: No, you didn't.
Jordan: Yeah, I know. I was just feeling left out.
Cate: Hey. We were camping. I was nine. My parents were setting up the tent. My little brother kept kicking at my shins, so I grabbed him by the arm and I told him to go away and never come back. So he did. He just walked right into the woods. That was the first time my powers showed up. [...] There was a... search party. Dogs. You know? It went on for weeks. But... nothing. My mom never touched me again. Neither did my dad.
[...]
Jordan: I killed my grandpa with my powers.
Cate: No, you didn't.
Jordan: Yeah, I know. I was just feeling left out.
— Gen V
Tabletop Games
In general, Awakenings are triggered by some sort of life-altering trauma, and life-altering traumas are the sort of thing at which Nephandi excel.
— Mage: The Ascension - The Book Of Madness
Visual Novels
Santa: You know the word "emergency" comes from the same root as the word as "emerge"? You ever think about that?
Junpei: ?
Santa: Well, an emergency is something urgent—often something dangerous. And to "emerge" means to sort of come out, or appear, or rise out of something else. So what's going to "emerge" in an "emergency"? Inspiration.
Junpei: Inspiration...?
Santa: Yeah. Think about it. When the chips are down, either you crack, or your mind focuses, and pulls up what you need.
Junpei: So in an emergency, your real potential...emerges...? Is that what you're saying?
Santa: Yeah. That's why the rats had to drown. They had to be in danger. There had to be an emergency for inspiration to emerge.
Junpei: ?
Santa: Well, an emergency is something urgent—often something dangerous. And to "emerge" means to sort of come out, or appear, or rise out of something else. So what's going to "emerge" in an "emergency"? Inspiration.
Junpei: Inspiration...?
Santa: Yeah. Think about it. When the chips are down, either you crack, or your mind focuses, and pulls up what you need.
Junpei: So in an emergency, your real potential...emerges...? Is that what you're saying?
Santa: Yeah. That's why the rats had to drown. They had to be in danger. There had to be an emergency for inspiration to emerge.
Web Animation
Nora: It's hard to know when you know sometimes. Ren's Semblance was unlocked from intense stress.
Ruby: And mine kicked in during training one day.
Oscar: [to Nora] And what about you?
Nora: Oh. Struck by lightning. Didn't die. Craaaazy Thursday.
Ruby: And mine kicked in during training one day.
Oscar: [to Nora] And what about you?
Nora: Oh. Struck by lightning. Didn't die. Craaaazy Thursday.
— RWBY, "Lighting the Fire"
Webcomics
Jerry the Immortal: Don't worry, it's just a minor angst-induced Awakening! She totally won't be in a murderous rage afterwards!
[the dye from Susan's hair turns her clothes dark blue, her hair turns from blonde to dark blue, and her eyes glow black as she floats a few feet off the ground]
Jerry the Immortal: Okay, so maybe it's a major angst-induced Awakening.
[the dye from Susan's hair turns her clothes dark blue, her hair turns from blonde to dark blue, and her eyes glow black as she floats a few feet off the ground]
Jerry the Immortal: Okay, so maybe it's a major angst-induced Awakening.
"When a Spark breaks through, it's usually very traumatic. A fair number go mad. Breakthrough device cause a lot of destruction. It's how a lot of Sparks get killed."
— Gilgamesh Wulfenbach , Girl Genius
Dave: Does this research say why people become mad geniuses?
Helen: The data is still mostly anecdotal. But causes are numerous: Stress, personal tragedy, the laughter of fools...
Dave: The laughter of fools?
Helen: Usually those fools at the Institute.
Dave: Right.
Helen: Many evil geniuses also list Mom as the cause of their key mental breakdown.
Dave: They were all driven mad by their mothers?
Helen: No, my mother. She's a busy lady.
Helen: The data is still mostly anecdotal. But causes are numerous: Stress, personal tragedy, the laughter of fools...
Dave: The laughter of fools?
Helen: Usually those fools at the Institute.
Dave: Right.
Helen: Many evil geniuses also list Mom as the cause of their key mental breakdown.
Dave: They were all driven mad by their mothers?
Helen: No, my mother. She's a busy lady.
— Narbonic
Web Original
Gohan: But how? I thought you had to be pure of heart to become a Super Saiyan, like my dad?
Vegeta: Oh, trust me. There's more than one way to realize the legend....
(flashback)
Vegeta: (crying and pounding the ground with his fists) I wanna! I wanna be a Super Saiyan! I wanna! I wannaIwannaIwannaIwanna-
(back to the present)
Western Animation
Andrias: No, it can't be...
(Marcy, taking advantage of the distraction, leaps out of the window, calls Joe Sparrow, and dives after the freefalling Sprig)
Andrias: She's still connected to the stone! But that's impossible!
Hop Pop: What's going on?!
Grime: I dunno. Maybe it's a human thing!
Sasha: (looking at the near-berserk Anne) This is not a human thing.
Anne: Give him back! GIVE. HIM. BACK!
(Marcy, taking advantage of the distraction, leaps out of the window, calls Joe Sparrow, and dives after the freefalling Sprig)
Andrias: She's still connected to the stone! But that's impossible!
Hop Pop: What's going on?!
Grime: I dunno. Maybe it's a human thing!
Sasha: (looking at the near-berserk Anne) This is not a human thing.
Anne: Give him back! GIVE. HIM. BACK!
— Amphibia, "True Colors"
