Angry Fist Shake

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"Dagnabbit!"


How do you show you're really pissed off, but don't want to Flip the Bird? Raise a clenched fist to the sky and shake it, as if you're contemplating punching/strangling God! Even better if you have a Gloved Fist of Doom, or a ton of fellow angry citizens raising their fists with you to show their solidarity and defiance towards The Man. Will often result in Milking the Giant Cow if not done right.

Compare Bicep-Polishing Gesture, Fist of Rage, Fist of Enthusiasm.

Examples of Angry Fist Shake include:

Comic Books

Film

Literature

Music

Video Games

  • All the time in Final Fantasy VII, though since everyone's hands are just polygon blocks, you're free to imagine what the fingers are doing while they flail about.
  • Happens at the beginning of Knuckles story in Sonic & Knuckles. Knux is relaxing in Mushroom Hills with his li'l animal buddies when a lone Egg Robo drops a bomb. Once he gets up and sees the culprit, Knuckles does this before giving chase.
  • When Fancy Pants Man does it in The Fancy Pants Adventure: World 2 in response to stolen ice cream, the mayor of Squiggleville comments that "Not even a fist-shaking as magnificent as that will bring back that tasty frozen treat!"

Web Animation

Western Animation

  • The Simpsons have this as the standard angry reaction (if they're not going straight for bodily harm).
    • In a Treehouse of Horror episode when Bart becomes The Fly, he acts like he's trapped in a spider's web shouting "Help me!" When the spider gets close Bart reveals he's just faking and flies away. The spider shakes four of its legs at Bart.
    • In "Lemon of Troy" when Homer steals Flanders's RV away from the impound lot the lot's owner (an Expy of Homer) and his son (an Expy of Bart) shake their fists at the fleeing Springfieldianites.

Homer2: Ooh, you lousy Springfielders, you - shake harder, boy!