Throwing Down the Gauntlet: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
{{quote|They are titans, they are the true and indisputable masters of the universe, the lords of creation, and they are unhappy with us. They speak, and theirs is a voice that shatters mountains. '''"[[Punctuated for Emphasis|WHO. ARE. YOU?]]"'''<br />
{{quote|They are titans, they are the true and indisputable masters of the universe, the lords of creation, and they are unhappy with us. They speak, and theirs is a voice that shatters mountains. '''"[[Punctuated! For! Emphasis!|WHO. ARE. YOU?]]"'''<br />
The captain's lips draw back over his teeth in a mirthless grin as he plants his fists on his hips, throws back his head, thrusts out his jaw. "Who wants to know?"|'''Steven Utley''', ''[http://literary.erictmarin.com/archives/Issue%206/upstart.htm Upstart]''}}
The captain's lips draw back over his teeth in a mirthless grin as he plants his fists on his hips, throws back his head, thrusts out his jaw. "Who wants to know?"|'''Steven Utley''', ''[http://literary.erictmarin.com/archives/Issue%206/upstart.htm Upstart]''}}


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This is Throwing Down the Gauntlet -- so named for the medieval practice of literally throwing down one's actual gauntlet before the person one wanted to challenge, making it both [[Truth in Television]] and [[Older Than Print]]. It can take any number of forms, depending on the character and the reason for the challenge. It may include a [[Badass Boast]] or [[Badass Creed]], a list of the reasons the challenger has for beating the challenged down, and a detailed description of the ways in which the challenged is now [[Doomy Dooms of Doom|doomed]]. It might be a [[World of Cardboard Speech]] in which the challenger explains himself and how he's reached this point. It might be a calculated effort to goad the challenged into accepting the contest and fighting their hardest, either in order to test them or just because the challenger [[Blood Knight|likes a good fight]].
This is Throwing Down the Gauntlet -- so named for the medieval practice of literally throwing down one's actual gauntlet before the person one wanted to challenge, making it both [[Truth in Television]] and [[Older Than Print]]. It can take any number of forms, depending on the character and the reason for the challenge. It may include a [[Badass Boast]] or [[Badass Creed]], a list of the reasons the challenger has for beating the challenged down, and a detailed description of the ways in which the challenged is now [[Doomy Dooms of Doom|doomed]]. It might be a [[World of Cardboard Speech]] in which the challenger explains himself and how he's reached this point. It might be a calculated effort to goad the challenged into accepting the contest and fighting their hardest, either in order to test them or just because the challenger [[Blood Knight|likes a good fight]].


Whatever the form, Throwing Down the Gauntlet is the act of challenging someone to a fight or some other competition, preferably in the most [[Badass]] way possible.
Whatever the form, Throwing Down the Gauntlet is the act of challenging someone to a fight or some other competition, preferably in the most [[Badass]] way possible.


If this involves ''actually'' throwing a glove of some sort on the ground, the challenge is accepted by picking it up. In some cases, this may overlap with the [[Glove Slap]], as traditionally the glove was used to slap the challenged twice upon the chest before being thrown down (although this is mostly forgotten now).
If this involves ''actually'' throwing a glove of some sort on the ground, the challenge is accepted by picking it up. In some cases, this may overlap with the [[Glove Slap]], as traditionally the glove was used to slap the challenged twice upon the chest before being thrown down (although this is mostly forgotten now).
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== Films ==
== Films ==
* In [[Dark of the Moon]], Megatron challenges Optimus to come and fight him as he [[Slouch of Villainy|sits on what is left of the Lincoln Memorial.]]
* In [[Dark of the Moon]], Megatron challenges Optimus to come and fight him as he [[Slouch of Villainy|sits on what is left of the Lincoln Memorial.]]
* In ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film)|The Lord of the Rings]]: The Return of the King'', Aragorn calls for Sauron to meet him in battle at the gates of [[Mordor]] "that justice be done upon him."
* In ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film)|The Lord of the Rings]]: The Return of the King'', Aragorn calls for Sauron to meet him in battle at the gates of [[Mordor]] "that justice be done upon him."
** He's bluffing ([[Captain Obvious|Legolas helpfully informs us that it's a diversion]]), yet the effect is undiminished.
** He's bluffing ([[Captain Obvious|Legolas helpfully informs us that it's a diversion]]), yet the effect is undiminished.
* [[The Joker]] calls [[Batman]] out via a TV broadcast in the 1989 ''[[Batman (film)|Batman]]'' movie.
* [[The Joker]] calls [[Batman]] out via a TV broadcast in the 1989 ''[[Batman (film)|Batman]]'' movie.
** He does something similar in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga]]''.
** He does something similar in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga]]''.
* ''[[Kill Bill]]'' has The Bride calling out O-Ren Ishii, the first of the Deadly Vipers, at the House of Blue Leaves using her [[Catch Phrase]]. In Japanese.
* ''[[Kill Bill]]'' has The Bride calling out O-Ren Ishii, the first of the Deadly Vipers, at the House of Blue Leaves using her [[Catch Phrase]]. In Japanese.
* In ''[[Scaramouche (film)|Scaramouche]]'', when the National Assembly's noble delegates are reducing the numbers of the common delegates by challenging them to duels and killing them, Moreau is challenged several times by persistent nobles who want to improve his horrendously ugly face (an example of [[Hollywood Homely]] too) by slapping him with a glove.
* In ''[[Scaramouche (film)|Scaramouche]]'', when the National Assembly's noble delegates are reducing the numbers of the common delegates by challenging them to duels and killing them, Moreau is challenged several times by persistent nobles who want to improve his horrendously ugly face (an example of [[Hollywood Homely]] too) by slapping him with a glove.
* Subverted in ''[[Robin Hood: Men in Tights]]'' when the Sheriff of Nottingham challenges Robin Hood to a fight.. "mano a mano, man to man, [[Just You and Me And My Guards|just you... and me...and my GUARDS!]]" the last line being a shouted call for his many, many plate-armored guards to come in and surround the hero. [[Hilarity Ensues]], of course.
* Subverted in ''[[Robin Hood: Men in Tights]]'' when the Sheriff of Nottingham challenges Robin Hood to a fight.. "mano a mano, man to man, [[Just You and Me And My Guards|just you... and me...and my GUARDS!]]" the last line being a shouted call for his many, many plate-armored guards to come in and surround the hero. [[Hilarity Ensues]], of course.
** It was parodied less than a minute prior, when the sheriff slaps Robin in the face with his glove and throws it down as a challenge. Robin responds by taking a metal gauntlet and smashing the Sheriff in the face while saying "I accept" ([[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Bugs Bunny]] did it first).
** It was parodied less than a minute prior, when the sheriff slaps Robin in the face with his glove and throws it down as a challenge. Robin responds by taking a metal gauntlet and smashing the Sheriff in the face while saying "I accept" ([[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Bugs Bunny]] did it first).
* Spoofed at the end of ''[[Beauty and the Beast]]''. When Cogsworth and Lumiere are returned to their human forms, they squabble over who told whom so, and Lumiere slaps Cogsworth across the face with a glove.
* Spoofed at the end of ''[[Beauty and the Beast]]''. When Cogsworth and Lumiere are returned to their human forms, they squabble over who told whom so, and Lumiere slaps Cogsworth across the face with a glove.
* In the finale of ''[[Commando (film)|Commando]]'', [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|John Matrix]] gets Bennett to release his daughter by appealing to his inner [[Knife Nut]] and challenging him to a knife duel.
* In the finale of ''[[Commando (film)|Commando]]'', [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|John Matrix]] gets Bennett to release his daughter by appealing to his inner [[Knife Nut]] and challenging him to a knife duel.
{{quote|'''Matrix:''' You don't want to pull the trigger, you want to put the knife in me and look me in the eye and see what's going on in there when you turn it. That's what you want to do, right? Come on, let the girl go. Just you and me. Don't deprive yourself of the pleasure. Come on, Bennett, let's party.
{{quote|'''Matrix:''' You don't want to pull the trigger, you want to put the knife in me and look me in the eye and see what's going on in there when you turn it. That's what you want to do, right? Come on, let the girl go. Just you and me. Don't deprive yourself of the pleasure. Come on, Bennett, let's party.
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* Mandorallen formally challenges another Mimbrate knight in ''[[Belgariad|The Malloreon]]'', who insulted Mandorallen's Asturian friend. After a [[I Shall Taunt You|lengthy insinuation of the other's parentage]], he makes the challenge by throwing his gauntlet... [[Glove Slap|into the challenged knight's face.]] [[Curb Stomp Battle|And then proceeds to humiliate and thoroughly defeat him]].
* Mandorallen formally challenges another Mimbrate knight in ''[[Belgariad|The Malloreon]]'', who insulted Mandorallen's Asturian friend. After a [[I Shall Taunt You|lengthy insinuation of the other's parentage]], he makes the challenge by throwing his gauntlet... [[Glove Slap|into the challenged knight's face.]] [[Curb Stomp Battle|And then proceeds to humiliate and thoroughly defeat him]].
* In the ''[[Codex Alera]]'' series, this involves challenging the offender to what is called a ''"juris macto"'' - essentially a [[Duel to the Death]]. Its not terribly complicated, simply by having the challenger confront and declare the name of the person they wish to duel, naming their offenses, then declaring that "May the crows feast on the unjust!"
* In the ''[[Codex Alera]]'' series, this involves challenging the offender to what is called a ''"juris macto"'' - essentially a [[Duel to the Death]]. Its not terribly complicated, simply by having the challenger confront and declare the name of the person they wish to duel, naming their offenses, then declaring that "May the crows feast on the unjust!"
** ''Juris macto'' comes up ''often''- something like ten times per book. 80% of these are just threats, and somebody backs down before the formal challenge. 10% of the time, the crows do indeed feast on the unjust. The remaining 10%, [[Big Badass Family|Tavi or his kin]] are doing [[Xanatos Gambit|something]] or [[Batman Gambit|other]] overly clever.
** ''Juris macto'' comes up ''often''- something like ten times per book. 80% of these are just threats, and somebody backs down before the formal challenge. 10% of the time, the crows do indeed feast on the unjust. The remaining 10%, [[Big Badass Family|Tavi or his kin]] are doing [[Xanatos Gambit|something]] or [[Batman Gambit|other]] overly clever.
* [[Ciaphas Cain]] '''HERO OF THE IMPERIUM''' challenges another Commissar to a duel over an insult to Colonel Kasteen. The other Commissar chooses to apologize instead after watching Cain fight a [[Space Marine|Chaos Space Marine]] in hand to hand combat.
* [[Ciaphas Cain]] '''HERO OF THE IMPERIUM''' challenges another Commissar to a duel over an insult to Colonel Kasteen. The other Commissar chooses to apologize instead after watching Cain fight a [[Space Marine|Chaos Space Marine]] in hand to hand combat.
* In Michael Crichton's novel "Timeline", there is a segment 33 hours, 12 minutes, and 51 seconds into the plot where Sir Guy literally throws down a gauntlet of mail to challenge Chris, the witless woobie made of steel, to a duel, mostly because Chris seems like someone fun to stab in the gut with a gigantic spear made of wood. Being witless, Chris doesn't get it and picks the gauntlet up, so accepting a challenge to a duel given by a gigantic man capable of swinging a very large sword effortlessly.
* In Michael Crichton's novel "Timeline", there is a segment 33 hours, 12 minutes, and 51 seconds into the plot where Sir Guy literally throws down a gauntlet of mail to challenge Chris, the witless woobie made of steel, to a duel, mostly because Chris seems like someone fun to stab in the gut with a gigantic spear made of wood. Being witless, Chris doesn't get it and picks the gauntlet up, so accepting a challenge to a duel given by a gigantic man capable of swinging a very large sword effortlessly.




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* In the second episode of ''[[The Legend of Tarzan]]'', Tarzan challenges a rhinoceros by throwing mud in it's face in a very gauntlet-like manner.
* In the second episode of ''[[The Legend of Tarzan]]'', Tarzan challenges a rhinoceros by throwing mud in it's face in a very gauntlet-like manner.
* ''[[Avenger Penguins]]'' [[Big Bad]] Doom does this in the first season finale.
* ''[[Avenger Penguins]]'' [[Big Bad]] Doom does this in the first season finale.



== Real Life ==
== Real Life ==
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