View source for Pre-Ass-Kicking Mutter

{{trope}}
A specific sub-trope of [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]], this is where the hero has already been fighting the villain, and are now pinned, with their foe's hands around their neck, their defeat imminent. In a last bit of defiance, the hero tries to say something, but cannot. The villain, overly cocksure of their victory and superiority, lightens their grip and leans in, asking the hero to speak up.

This is always a bad idea, as it turns out the hero was faking, or managed to find some [[Heroic Resolve]]. They say what they meant to, and open a can of whoopass, sometimes leading to the villain's defeat (or at least giving the hero time to escape and regroup).

{{examples}}
== Film ==
* From the 2009 ''[[Star Trek]]'' movie: [[The Dragon]] has Kirk by the throat, holding him over a ledge and gloating about how weak humans are. Kirk makes some vague choking noises, prompting the villain to observe that Kirk "can't even speak!" Kirk's response? A suddenly lucid "I've got your gun!" at which point he promptly gives [[The Dragon]] back his ammo. Right in the chest.
* In the first ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' movie, Sabretooth ambushes Storm and has her by the neck. He says he wants to hear her try to scream... She responds with a lightning bolt.
** This was done earlier and better in the [[X-Men]] comics, though: Sabretooth had Jubilee pinned and asked if she had any last words. Her response was too tiny to read, even with a magnifying glass...
{{quote|'''Sabretooth''': "Wussat? Ya gotta beg louder!"
'''Jubilee''': "Yu-yeah sure... I s-said... 'EAT HOT PLASMA BURSTS'!" }}

== Live Action TV ==
* An episode of ''[[Burn Notice]]'' provides an example from Jesse:
{{quote|'''Jesse''': Man, why you wanna *mumble*?
'''Thus''': What'd you say?
'''Jesse''': I said, "''why'' do you wanna lose your TEETH?!" *face, meet door; Jesse exit, stage left* }}

== Web Comics ==
* A recent{{when}} ''[[Sinfest]]'' strip played with this concept. Poochie wants Percy to take Bally from him, but he can't enunciate properly with the ball in his mouth. So when he spits it out to say "Try to take it from me!"... Percy grabs the ball and runs off!

== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker]]'' had one of these: While fighting on a high-speed hovercraft flying high in the city, Bonk has Terry by the throat. Terry, while struggling, sees behind himself (where the hovercraft is flying) and he tries to warn his opponent of a "flgpkl".
{{quote|'''Bonk''': "What did you say?"
'''Batman''': "Flag... pole!" -KLONK!- }}
** And later in the movie...
{{quote|'''Joker:''' "C'mon, McGinnis! Laugh it up now, you miserable little punk! LAUGH!"
''(Terry gasps)''
'''Joker:''' "''I can't hear you!''"
'''Terry:''' "Ha. Ha." '' {{spoiler|(electrocutes Joker with his own joy buzzer)}}'' }}

{{Needs More Examples}}

{{reflist}}
[[Category:Fight Scene]]
[[Category:Action Adventure Tropes]]
[[Category:Combat Tropes]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]