Berserk Button/Comic Books: Difference between revisions

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{{quote| '''Lightning Lord:''' Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Want to buy yourself some time, Kryptonian? Why not throw me the woman, so I can fry her the way I fried your other girlfriend?<br />

'''Superman:''' ''(in shock)'' L-Lana? (enraged) '''YOU HURT ''LANA''?!'''<br />

{{quote| '''Mongul:''' Happy birthday, Kryptonian. I give you... oblivion.<br />

'''Superman:''' Burn. }}

** Or best of all, IMO, the climax of ''[[Kingdom Come]]'', when Superman {{spoiler|is driven to the point of nearly destroying the UN when the humano-centrists kill most of the supers, despite Captain Marvel's [[Heroic Sacrifice]] to stop it, using a nuclear bomb.}}

* ''[[Gotham Central]]'' reveals what might actually be Two-Face's only Berserk Button. Most things he does, even his most heinous of crimes, are only done after he flips his trusty coin. It is not personal, just the law of averages, chaos and chance. Except for one thing: Do not look at [[The Question|Renee Montoya]]. Seriously. No, I'm completely serious, do not even '''''look''''' at her, Two-Face will blow off your damn head for '''''glancing''''' at her. He will take out his gun and ''shove it down your throat''...and then he will tell Renee about how he has prepared her steak dinner (He's wacky like that). But seriously, ''don't look at her.''

** Really, he's better described by [[Hair-Trigger Temper]].

* Rorschach of ''[[Watchmen]]'' can be said to have a berserk button about criminals, which sort of comes with his territory, but his interviews with Dr. Long confirmed one thing: anyone who harms a child or one of his superhero compatriots is in for a world of hurt. He hits his [[Despair Event Horizon|permanent]] berserk button when he realizes that {{spoiler|the child abductor he had been tracking down had butchered his victim and fed her to his dogs.}} Since then, he has been a [[Sociopathic Hero]] in the eyes of many. And then there's his reaction to losing his "face"...

* Monica from the Brazilian comic ''[[Monica's Gang]]''. Don't comment on her weight, height, how big her teeth are, or even worse, call her ugly, if you don't want a girl to beat you up using a plush rabbit.

* Never call Obelix from ''[[Asterix]]'' fat, unless you want to be on the receiving end of a [[Megaton Punch]]. [[I Am Big Boned|His chest's just slipped a bit]], that's all.

** Carferrix gets mad if you talk to his sister.

** ''Asterix and the Roman Agent'', in which the latter half of the title (a fellow called Tortuous Convolvulus) can create disputes and brawls simply by ''showing up'', is practically a guide to the characters' berserk buttons. Including Julius Caesar's ("GULLIBLE, ME?!?").

** Also Captain Haddock if you take away his whisky.

* [[Incredible Hulk (Comic Book)|The Hulk]] is generally a [[The Berserker|Berserker]] anyway, but anything or anyone that reminds him of his father is definitely in for a world of hurt.

{{quote| '''Batman:''' I don't pass sentence. That's for the courts to decide. But this time, '''this time''', I am ''sorely'' tempted to do the job myself.}}

*** If you kill a couple in front of their young child, Batman will 1.) Have a flashback and 2.) Hunt you down no matter where you go. And then 3.) '''''Make. You. Suffer.''''' Like you have never suffered before or, you will hope, since.

{{quote| '''Batman:''' (To Joker) I'll break you in two.}}

**** One story deconstructed the "kill a couple in front of their young child" button. Batman was pursuing a criminal named Angel Lupo for murdering his pregnant sister. While on the run, Lupo shot and killed a couple in front of their son leaving the boy in a state of shock. Batman has the usual flashback and is hellbent on bringing Lupo to justice. Then it's revealed that {{spoiler|Angel had nothing to do with the first murder. His ''girlfriend'' (without his knowledge) had his sister killed in order to free him of the responsibility of caring for his sister. Not that it matters, since the baby's father (the ''Ventriloquist'') guns down Lupo in a fit of misdirected vengeance.}} Then it turns out that {{spoiler|Lupo didn't kill the boy's parents either -- the ''boy'' shot and killed his own parents and Lupo just happened to be nearby when it happened. Batman's Berserk Button made him pursue a man who, while still a career criminal, didn't commit any of the murders in the story and led him astray from the real killers.}}

** To say nothing of said boyfriend, Wiccan, who is not only {{spoiler|the son of the Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful mutants in the universe--and appears to have inherited her capabilities}} but a very gifted witch in his own right. At one point, he put ''everyone in Times Square into a magic coma'' simply because Teddy was being held hostage.

* Under no circumstances should you insinuate that [[Spider Woman]] is a Skrull. Last time the [[Dark Avengers]] did that, she lost her composure and started beating down almost everyone who got near her (and apparently that included Ares), at least until Sentry stopped and calmed her down.

* In ''[[Legend of the Five Rings]]'', do not call Shosuro Yudoka or any of his subordinates a ninja. He absolutely hates that term, despite the fact that he's the Scorpion Clan's resident ninja master.

* [[Secret Six|Ragdoll]] is hardly a nice guy, but when teamed with killers like Bane and Deadshot, he seems less dangerous and certainly [[Cloudcuckoolander|less focused.]] However, if you threaten Black Alice, he will [[Let's Get Dangerous|kill you]] [[Nightmare Fuel|painfully.]]

** And speaking of Scandal, don't hurt her or even threaten her in front of Bane. Remember what he did to [[Knightfall|good 'ol Bats?]] He'll do that to you. Seriously, don't fuck with Scandal in front of Bane.

** Finally, do not threaten [[Papa Wolf|Catman's]] son. DO. NOT. DO. IT. While the rest of the team will either shoot you, slice you up, cave your head in, or rip you apart if you piss them off, Catman will make it slow. '''''VERY''''' slow. If you're lucky, you'll escape with either [[Eye Scream|part of your face missing]] or four new assholes. You probably won't be lucky, however.

* [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]] is [[Nice Guy|a wonderful human being]]. He's generous, forgiving, selfless, friendly, kind, and [[Adorkable|actually kind of awkward and dorky]] at times when he's with [[True Companions|his]] [[The Avengers (Comic Book)|family]]. However, he does have a few Berserk Buttons, and God help you if you press them.

** [[Those Wacky Nazis|Nazis]] in general. [[Red Skull]] in particular.

** [[Too Dumb to Live|Mocking Bucky's death]]. Oh ''god'', if you'd like your bones to remain unbroken, ''don't do it''.

** As with most good characters, don't harm innocents or those whom he loves. [[The Avengers (Comic Book)|The Avengers]] are [[True Companions|his family]], so this certainly applies to them -- but ''especially'' [[Iron Man|Tony]], [[The Falcon (Comic Book)|Falcon]] and the now revived [[Bucky Barnes|Bucky]]. Helmut Zemo once found out why kidnapping Falcon is a bad idea.

* One of [[Thor]]'s Berserk Buttons is his brother, [[Loki (Comic Book)|Loki]]. Insulting Asgard is a monumentally stupid idea as well.

** Going after ''any'' of Thor's comrades-in-arms is a bad idea. However, harm [[Blood Brothers|Tony Stark]]<ref>Pre-Civil War</ref> and/or [[Blood Brothers|Steve Rogers]], and you will learn ''exactly'' what it means to piss off a force of nature. In fact, even just telling [[The Avengers (Comic Book)|The Avengers]] that you [[Somebody Else's Problem|stood by and watched]] as Iron Man was kidnapped will send Thor into an [[Unstoppable Rage]] that will require him [[Let Me At Him|being held back]] to keep him from [[Drop the Hammer|bashing your skull in]].<ref>Yes, that ''actually happened''.</ref>

* Don't touch [[Batman|the Mad Hatter's]] hat, or he will turn from a delusional mind control expert who is more likely to brainwash some henchmen to attack you into an [[Ax Crazy]] foaming-at-the-mouth maniac.

* [[Groo the Wanderer]] is not a mendicant. Not even after he finds out what it means.

{{quote| Snively would have succeeded in capturing all but Sonic the Hedgehog as instructed, if he had not made the one fatal mistake of teleporting Ray the Squirrel prior to Mighty the Armadillo. Enraged at believing his timid friend was dead, Mighty lost all self-control and poured every bit of his fury into his already incredible strength. He proceeded to attack Snively's Beater by ripping off one of its arms and used it as a club to pulverize Snively, practically destroying the mech all by himself. Before the finishing blow could be delivered though, Snively managed to beam Mighty away to a reinforced Egg Grape and then activated a self-destruct program in his mech.}}

* DON'T hurt [[Martian Manhunter|J'onn J'onzz]]. The entire JLA will kick your ass.

* [[Yoko Tsuno]] is a nice girl, if a bit hotheaded. Hurt someone she cares for, or threaten somebody who asks her for help? The [[Action Girl]] knows her Aikido and her weapon handling, and she '''will''' put said knowledge to use. '''''On you.'''''

* In ''[[Ms. Tree]]'', Mike, Jr. has some pretty serious issues relating to homosexuals.

* Trapping Pakrat of the ''[[Atari Force]]'' second series in a corner causes him to come out of it fighting.

* Most ''[[Sin City]]'' heroes are pretty violent but they lose their cool when people hurt women, children, or friends. One or all of these things happen in almost every story and they end making good use of the ''For Mature Readers Only'' label.

** You might not want to threaten [[Huntress]]' students. [http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1005813.html?#cutid1 This is what happened when someone tried.]

* Vic Volcano from the [[Anthology Comic]] ''[[The Beano]]'' who would go berserk over pretty much anything.

* Don't compare [[Empowered (Comic Book)|Empowered]] to [[Jennifer Lopez|JLo]], or say anything else that might be misunderstood as "you're fat".

** Don't say anything about Sistah Spooky's race. Don't be a beautiful blonde girl. And so on.