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Break-In Threat

152 statements
28 feature instances
32 referencing feature instances

Break-In Threat	type	FeatureClass
Break-In Threat	label	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat	page	BreakInThreat
Break-In Threat	comment	Alice is being stalked by Bob. Though she's somewhat worried about what could happen, she goes to sleep, believing that at least she's safe in her own bed. Then, when she wakes up, she notices that a picture of her late husband, Chris, is missing from the table. Alternatively, Bob has left a note on that same table. Either way, the message is clear; Bob was right by her side that night and could've done anything to her, and she didn't notice a thing. A common variation consists of Alice pissing off a killer. However, instead of the killer simply, well, killing Alice, he wants to scare her. So he sneaks into her house at night and leaves a bullet or something equally shocking on her pillow, sending a very clear message. The point is that whoever snuck into the room got so close to the victim that he could've done anything he wanted. This is often a lot scarier than actually carrying out the threat. Though the good guys can be the sneaker, it's a lot rarer than the other way around, and mostly reserved for very dark Anti Heroes and Terror Heroes. Compare If I Wanted You Dead..., Trespassing to Talk. Also compare Gaslighting, where the goal is to make changes without the victim knowing it, whereas here you make changes specifically to scare or taunt the victim.
Break-In Threat	fetched	2023-11-19T11:15:27Z
Break-In Threat	parsed	2023-11-19T11:15:27Z
Break-In Threat	processingComment	Dropped link to ComicallyMissingThePoint: Not an Item - FEATURE
Break-In Threat	processingComment	Dropped link to LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek: Not an Item - FEATURE
Break-In Threat	processingComment	Dropped link to PlayedForLaughs: Not an Item - FEATURE
Break-In Threat	processingComment	Dropped link to RizzoliAndIsles: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
Break-In Threat	processingUnknown	RizzoliAndIsles
Break-In Threat	isPartOf	DBTropes
Break-In Threat / int_164f5129	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_164f5129	comment	Something similar happens in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. episode "The Mad Mad Tea Party Affair". Just before an important conference, a series of non-lethal attacks are launched on UNCLE headquarters by a mysterious infiltrator. It turns out to be an UNCLE agent acting on Da Chief's orders, to make sure no-one is lax.
Break-In Threat / int_164f5129	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_164f5129	featureConfidence	1.0
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_164f5129
Break-In Threat / int_16fc4335	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_16fc4335	comment	In a Heralds of Valdemar novel, a minor noble sends an assassin after the Empire's heir (who is also an assassin). Said heir kills the man and leaves his body in the nursery of the noble's son.
Break-In Threat / int_16fc4335	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_16fc4335	featureConfidence	1.0
Heralds of Valdemar	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_16fc4335
Break-In Threat / int_24e41891	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_24e41891	comment	In the first season of Dexter, the Ice Truck Killer sneaks into Dexter's apartment several times, and leaves calling cards each time (dismembered dolls, smiley faces). However, Dexter's reaction to the intrusion subverts the trope: he realizes that it isn't a threat, but rather an invitation to "play."
Break-In Threat / int_24e41891	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_24e41891	featureConfidence	1.0
Dexter	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_24e41891
Break-In Threat / int_3094cde5	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_3094cde5	comment	In a deleted scene from After the Sunset, local gangster Moret casually tells Max, "I love the view of the water from your house." Max corrects him, "You mean the view of my house from the water" (Not that this is much better, as both statements warn him that the guy knows where he lives). The gangster informs him that the first statement was correct, effectively warning Max not to cross him.
Break-In Threat / int_3094cde5	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_3094cde5	featureConfidence	1.0
After the Sunset	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_3094cde5
Break-In Threat / int_375ce1d1	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_375ce1d1	comment	The first book in The Last Dogs has a pack of wolves threatening to break into a veterinarian's office. The vet's pet dachshund, Rocky, keeps them at bay with food, but the wolves threaten to break in some more to eat the dog food and Rocky. Special mention goes to the wolf pack leader Dolph, who boasts about how he would get in, kill the dogs still inside, probably skin them...and declares that he'll wear the pelt and pretend to be a begging dog to mock them.
Break-In Threat / int_375ce1d1	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_375ce1d1	featureConfidence	1.0
The Last Dogs	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_375ce1d1
Break-In Threat / int_3fd2eb48	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_3fd2eb48	comment	In Snapshot (1979), Angela takes a summer dress from her wardrobe and hangs it up before she goes to have breakfast. When she returns to her room, someone has slashed the dress to pieces and draped the shreds over her dressing table.
Break-In Threat / int_3fd2eb48	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_3fd2eb48	featureConfidence	1.0
Snapshot (1979)	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_3fd2eb48
Break-In Threat / int_441fc787	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_441fc787	comment	In the film Copycat, as Dr. Helen Hudson comes out of the shower, she finds her red suit lying on her bed. This is already an indication that someone has broken in, but the fear factor increases when Helen realizes that the suit is the one she was wearing when she was attacked by a serial killer one year prior. The message is doubly frightening—"I know where you live, and I'm going to finish the job that he couldn't".
Break-In Threat / int_441fc787	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_441fc787	featureConfidence	1.0
Copycat	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_441fc787
Break-In Threat / int_4a529842	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_4a529842	comment	Sleeping with the Enemy: While bathing, Laura notices that the bathroom towels have been arranged the way her abusive husband insisted. She freaks out, but upon noticing that nothing else is out of the ordinary, dismisses it. . .until she returns home from her date and finds her tub overflowing (a possible reference to the way she faked her drowning death?), the kitchen towels rearranged (they were not like this before), and her cupboard arranged the way he always wanted it. Rather than some long, drawn-out stalking, he almost immediately reveals himself to her.
Break-In Threat / int_4a529842	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_4a529842	featureConfidence	1.0
Sleeping with the Enemy	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_4a529842
Break-In Threat / int_58f28be1	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_58f28be1	comment	This happens in The Godfather as a result of the title character's offer being refused. Jack Woltz wakes up with the severed head of his prize horse, Khartoum, in his bed.
Break-In Threat / int_58f28be1	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_58f28be1	featureConfidence	1.0
The Godfather	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_58f28be1
Break-In Threat / int_6007bcf4	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_6007bcf4	comment	A mission in Sleeping Dogs (2012) involves Wei and Old Salty Crab breaking into "Two-Chin" Tsao's house and rearranging his furniture to give him bad Feng Shui as an attempt to make him relapse on his heroin habit, with the idea being that if his superstition doesn't get the better of him then this very trope will.
Break-In Threat / int_6007bcf4	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_6007bcf4	featureConfidence	1.0
Sleeping Dogs (2012) (Video Game)	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_6007bcf4
Break-In Threat / int_721702f	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_721702f	comment	In the novel The Client, young Mark is attacked in an elevator by a hitman who warns him not to talk to the FBI (shortly before committing suicide, a man had told Mark where the body of a missing politician was buried). To emphasize the seriousness of his threat, the man shows Mark a picture of his family, which Mark instantly recognizes as having been on his coffee table.
Break-In Threat / int_721702f	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_721702f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Client	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_721702f
Break-In Threat / int_761a48d7	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_761a48d7	comment	A variation in Iron Fist (2017). In "Shadow Hawk Takes Flight", Harold Meachum returns to his hideout to find a message from the Hand written on his window. He goes to wipe it off only to find it's been written on the outside of the window, and we then get a Reveal Shot to show his hideout is located near the top of a skyscraper.
Break-In Threat / int_761a48d7	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_761a48d7	featureConfidence	1.0
Iron Fist (2017)	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_761a48d7
Break-In Threat / int_89daf5f5	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_89daf5f5	comment	In the Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye episode "Bad Hair Day," Tara shoots and kills a criminal and his brother tries to get revenge. He leaves a note in her car (which is locked and in a secure garage) saying he can get to her whenever he wants.
Break-In Threat / int_89daf5f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_89daf5f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_89daf5f5
Break-In Threat / int_8c9f7023	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_8c9f7023	comment	This possibly happened in Eyes Wide Shut. Due to it being a bit of a Mind Screw movie, it's unknown if the bad guys left the main character's mask on his bed as a threat or if his wife simply found the mask herself.
Break-In Threat / int_8c9f7023	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_8c9f7023	featureConfidence	1.0
Eyes Wide Shut	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_8c9f7023
Break-In Threat / int_8f046057	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_8f046057	comment	In Following, The Gentleman Thief Cobb steals more For the Lulz / For the Evulz than out of need, and he sometimes doesn't take anything, but will go through keepsakes and make sure the people there know it, in order to disrupt their lives.
Break-In Threat / int_8f046057	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_8f046057	featureConfidence	1.0
Following	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_8f046057
Break-In Threat / int_a5549ed0	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_a5549ed0	comment	The Bible: In a rare reversal, David pulls this one on Saul. However, it's closer to a warning than a threat, as David was so close to Saul that he could've easily killed him, instead choosing to take away his pike and water bottle. After sneaking out of the camp, David then stated to the guard captain that he was able to sneak right into the camp before holding a small speech to Saul. Saul, however, didn't get the message and kept the war going.
Break-In Threat / int_a5549ed0	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_a5549ed0	featureConfidence	1.0
The Bible	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_a5549ed0
Break-In Threat / int_bac4b843	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_bac4b843	comment	The Deep (1977) has a version where the victim is in the house (but not her boyfriend, whom the threat is also against) with the Big Bad sending his men to do some weird voodoo stuff to Jacqueline Bisset's character in order to scare her.
Break-In Threat / int_bac4b843	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_bac4b843	featureConfidence	1.0
The Deep	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_bac4b843
Break-In Threat / int_d12aa2ae	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_d12aa2ae	comment	In Dishonored one of the non-lethal ways to deal with Daud is to simply pickpocket the key to the exit from him and leaving, which is treated as Corvo sending him a message.
Break-In Threat / int_d12aa2ae	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_d12aa2ae	featureConfidence	1.0
Dishonored (Video Game)	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_d12aa2ae
Break-In Threat / int_d47b7f5f	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_d47b7f5f	comment	Part of the psychological warfare waged by the raka in Trickster's Duet. The most notable case is leaving baskets of live rats in the bedrooms of those they want to threaten, but Aly makes a point of breaking into supposedly impregnable places to discredit the regents and weaken their control.
Break-In Threat / int_d47b7f5f	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_d47b7f5f	featureConfidence	1.0
Trickster's Duet	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_d47b7f5f
Break-In Threat / int_e0fcfdea	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_e0fcfdea	comment	This was the schtick of the villain of the week on one episode of The Avengers (1960s); in one example, a victim finishes his tea and finds the word "POISON" inscribed on the bottom of his cup.
Break-In Threat / int_e0fcfdea	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_e0fcfdea	featureConfidence	1.0
The Avengers (1960s)	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_e0fcfdea
Break-In Threat / int_e293455a	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_e293455a	comment	In Buffy the Vampire Slayer "Passion", the vampire Angelus sneaks into Buffy's bedroom while she's sleeping and draws a picture of her, which he leaves for her to find in the morning. (Buffy had previously allowed Angel into her home, and hadn't removed the permission after Angel turned into Angelus. Once she became aware of this, she had Willow perform a spell to uninvite him.)
Break-In Threat / int_e293455a	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_e293455a	featureConfidence	1.0
Buffy the Vampire Slayer	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_e293455a
Break-In Threat / int_ecc3a89	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_ecc3a89	comment	Colombiana. The protagonist is sent to kill an embezzler, who wakes up amidst his sleeping Paid Harem to find the word THIEF and an orchid (the assassin's Calling Card) painted on his chest. He then finds all his bodyguards have been murdered. It gets worse.
Break-In Threat / int_ecc3a89	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_ecc3a89	featureConfidence	1.0
Colombiana	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_ecc3a89
Break-In Threat / int_eee7448f	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_eee7448f	comment	In a rare heroic example, Dora Wilk and her werewolf commando break into the Monster of the Week's house, find their nesting place (Doraverse vampires sleep during day) and leave... nauseatingly cute illusions. Message, though, is very clear - they could kill them anytime and they couldn't do a damn thing about it. Made even clearer when Szelma breaks in as a cat and leave a politely composed invitation on the table, behind its owner's back.
Break-In Threat / int_eee7448f	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_eee7448f	featureConfidence	1.0
Dora Wilk Series	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_eee7448f
Break-In Threat / int_eef69f10	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_eef69f10	comment	The Sherlock Holmes story A Study in Scarlet. John Ferrier is being threatened by a Mormon cult and wakes up one morning with a note pinned to his chest telling him he has thirty days to give in to their demands. After that, no matter how carefully he secures his property or stays up all night on watch, every morning there's a message somewhere in the house counting down how long he has left.
Break-In Threat / int_eef69f10	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_eef69f10	featureConfidence	1.0
Sherlock Holmes	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_eef69f10
Break-In Threat / int_f1619fb6	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_f1619fb6	comment	In Daddy's Little Girl, Ellie arrives back at the guesthouse where she's staying and notices that someone has broken in, as they added something to a document she was writing on her laptop and subtly shifted some of her things around. It's subtle enough that the cops aren't convinced she's not just being paranoid. Ellie believes the Westerfields paid someone to break in (or that it was maybe even Rob himself) to try and scare her. It's also likely they were scoping out the place to find the ideal spot to start a fire, as Ellie is later a victim of arson and barely escapes.
Break-In Threat / int_f1619fb6	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_f1619fb6	featureConfidence	1.0
Daddy's Little Girl	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_f1619fb6
Break-In Threat / int_f2a9d10e	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_f2a9d10e	comment	Killer Elite. A Retired Badass is forced to do One Last Job. After completing the job, he's retired to his home when he gets an unexpected phone call from his employer saying he still has to kill one more person, and implying that he has hitman's girlfriend. He rushes to her room only to find she's sleeping peacefully. Then he finds a cartridge case tucked into her hair.
Break-In Threat / int_f2a9d10e	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_f2a9d10e	featureConfidence	1.0
Killer Elite	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_f2a9d10e
Break-In Threat / int_f4e799ee	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_f4e799ee	comment	In an early episode of Burn Notice, someone sneaks into Michael's apartment and leaves surveillance photos all over his floor...and each one is of Michael, at various points when he was on a job or pulling some scheme. Along with all that is a card that says "Welcome to Miami" and a handwritten note that says something to the effect of "We'll be watching you".
Break-In Threat / int_f4e799ee	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_f4e799ee	featureConfidence	1.0
Burn Notice	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_f4e799ee
Break-In Threat / int_f74b5f80	type	Break-In Threat
Break-In Threat / int_f74b5f80	comment	In Babylon 5, an assassin leaves a black flower in Ambassador G'Kar's bed, as a warning that he has been targeted by the assassins' guild.
Break-In Threat / int_f74b5f80	featureApplicability	1.0
Break-In Threat / int_f74b5f80	featureConfidence	1.0
Babylon 5	hasFeature	Break-In Threat / int_f74b5f80

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Break-In Threat	processingCategory2	The Index Is Watching You
Break-In Threat	processingCategory2	Threatening Tropes
Amalgamate (Fanfic) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Falling (Fanfic) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Ultimate Spider-Woman (Fanfic) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Best Seller / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Colombiana / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Copycat / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Eyes Wide Shut / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Fatal Attraction / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Following / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
No Time to Die / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Sleeping with the Enemy / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Snapshot (1979) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
The Client / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
The Godfather / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
A Study in Scarlet / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Coma / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Daddy's Little Girl / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Dora Wilk Series / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
The Boxcar Children / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Where the Crawdads Sing / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Bates Motel / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Corner Gas / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Dexter / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Fargo: Season Five / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Peaky Blinders / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
The Avengers (1960s) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Sleeping Dogs (2012) (Video Game) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Queen of Thieves (Visual Novel) / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat
Liaden Universe / int_f6ef4ff9	type	Break-In Threat

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