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Percussive Shutdown

 Percussive Shutdown
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 Percussive Shutdown
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Percussive Shutdown
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Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })When all else fails, sometimes the easiest way to turn off a thing that needs to be turned off is to break it.
Characters occasionally come across situations where a device in their vicinity that is integral to the plot; more specifically, integral to derailing the plot, and it has to be prevented from doing so. But such devices rarely come with an "off" switch, so what are the intrepid heroes to do?
Why, smash it to bits, of course! When there is simply no better option available, you might as well.
Compare Percussive Prevention when this tactic is applied to a character rather than an object. Contrast Percussive Maintenance, which is using violence to get stuff working again. Can overlap with Percussive Therapy if the continued failure to deactivate the stubbornly functioning device becomes a source of frustration for the character. Supertrope to Shoot the Television and Ring-Ring-CRUNCH!. Compare Cut the Juice for a more conventional shutdown procedure.
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Examples:
 Percussive Shutdown
fetched
2022-08-13T20:59:01Z
 Percussive Shutdown
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2022-08-13T20:59:02Z
 Percussive Shutdown
processingComment
Dropped link to ACertainScientificRailgun: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
 Percussive Shutdown
processingComment
Dropped link to ForceField: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Percussive Shutdown
processingComment
Dropped link to Subverted: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Percussive Shutdown
processingUnknown
ACertainScientificRailgun
 Percussive Shutdown
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Percussive Shutdown / int_22f49cdf
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_22f49cdf
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Castle: During a particularly tense two-parter episode, Castle and Beckett have been chasing a group of domestic terrorists attempting to set off a dirty bomb in town. Eventually, they do find the bomb, but with only seconds left on the timer.... With no time to pick a wire to cut, Castle just yanks all of them at once... this works.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_22f49cdf
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1.0
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 Castle
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Percussive Shutdown / int_22f49cdf
 Percussive Shutdown / int_27777760
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_27777760
comment
Attempted at least twice in Eureka by Jack.
In the episode "H.O.U.S.E. Rules" he takes his prized signed baseball bat to the nuclear generator that powers the smarthouse when it threatens to vaporize Zoe with a laser. He doesn't so much as crack the generator's housing.
Later in the Season 4 finale he nearly shoots the FTL Ion Reactor that's about to send The Astraeis (with unplanned passenger Allison on board) to an unknown location, he then "thinks better" and instead beats it with a pipe. It manages to shut down the batteries but too late to stop the launch. (Moral of the story: Jack doesn't like it when technology threatens his loved ones.)
 Percussive Shutdown / int_27777760
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_27777760
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 Eureka
hasFeature
Percussive Shutdown / int_27777760
 Percussive Shutdown / int_2a77a546
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_2a77a546
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Inside Out: The emotions Anger, Disgust, and Fear have realized that giving Riley the idea to run away was a mistake, and are trying desperately to correct the mistake by removing the idea bulb. But it proves to be unmovable. So they try smashing it. But it also proves unbreakable.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_2a77a546
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_2a77a546
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 Inside Out
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Percussive Shutdown / int_2a77a546
 Percussive Shutdown / int_34de22dc
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_34de22dc
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Mr. Bean once opted to turn off a light by shooting it, in order to forego the effort of getting out of bed to do so manually.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_34de22dc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_34de22dc
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 Mr. Bean
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Percussive Shutdown / int_34de22dc
 Percussive Shutdown / int_468bebb0
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_468bebb0
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In the Discworld novel Going Postal, the Mail Sorting Engine (which, due to its creator being infamous for making Achievements in Ignorance, had a central flywheel with Pi being exactly 3 instead of 3-and-a-bit), is a Reality-Breaking Paradox which continues spitting out letters from alternate universes even after being turned off. Until a Post Office employee grabs a crowbar and begins beating the machine with it until it finally stops spitting out letters.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_468bebb0
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_468bebb0
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 Discworld
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Percussive Shutdown / int_468bebb0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_49ff762
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_49ff762
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Torchwood: On both occasions where resurrection gauntlets are used to bring characters back to life, they end up going out of control and sucking the life out of hosts with no way of being turned off. So Jack just shoots them.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_49ff762
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_49ff762
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 Torchwood
hasFeature
Percussive Shutdown / int_49ff762
 Percussive Shutdown / int_50e2e357
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_50e2e357
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In Star Trek, this gets double-subverted — the heroes were planning to sabotage the giant laser drill with explosive charges, but made the mistake of letting the Red Shirt carry them. For a moment it looks like they'll have to use their brains... until Kirk grabs a couple of guns dropped by mooks who don't need them anymore and Kirk and Sulu simply open up on the drill at point-blank range. It gets lampshaded in the novelization.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_50e2e357
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 Star Trek (2009)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_50e2e357
 Percussive Shutdown / int_5da7484c
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_5da7484c
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Switcheroo AU: In "Jailbreak", Spinel's method of getting Peridot's ship to turn around is by stomping on the control panel.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_5da7484c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_5da7484c
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1.0
 Switcheroo AU (Webcomic)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_5da7484c
 Percussive Shutdown / int_60156176
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_60156176
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In Shards of Honor, Aral and the crew members loyal to him are shut in a small room with a loudspeaker blaring out mutineer propaganda, so he tells Bothari to silence it. Bothari does this by shooting the loudspeaker with a plasma rifle. Looking at the melted remains, Aral points out that they might have wanted to be able to use the communicator themselves.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_60156176
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_60156176
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 Vorkosigan Saga
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Percussive Shutdown / int_60156176
 Percussive Shutdown / int_6b526751
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_6b526751
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Inverted in Weird Science. When Gary attempts to shut down his Magical Computer with a baseball bat after it connects with a government mainframe during a lightning strike, the bat breaks instead of the machine.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_6b526751
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_6b526751
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 Weird Science
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Percussive Shutdown / int_6b526751
 Percussive Shutdown / int_7668653b
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_7668653b
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In Mass Effect 3, if Vega is assigned to shut down any technical equipment, his method consists of "fiddling with the wires" before kicking it until it stops working.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_7668653b
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_7668653b
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 Mass Effect 3 (Video Game)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_7668653b
 Percussive Shutdown / int_81bc1811
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_81bc1811
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In Mega Man Legends after Megaman Volnutt gets electrocuted and restrained by a trap from Megaman Juno, Teisel and Tron come in and decide to help Megaman out of the trap.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_81bc1811
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_81bc1811
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 Mega Man Legends (Video Game)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_81bc1811
 Percussive Shutdown / int_86c3beca
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_86c3beca
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In Girl Genius, Agatha deals with the "Lion", a device designed to permanently shut off her sentient castle, by smashing a large portion on top with a crowbar. She later revives the Lion by modifying the remains a bit when the castle's broken condition means it is trying to prevent her from getting treatment for a fatal illness in its attempt to keep her alive as she "just broke the big flashy bits".
 Percussive Shutdown / int_86c3beca
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_86c3beca
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 Girl Genius (Webcomic)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_86c3beca
 Percussive Shutdown / int_8d81bb26
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_8d81bb26
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Happens on NCIS "Kill Screen", when Team Gibbs has to shut down a supercomputer that can breach the DoD's firewalls and erase all of their data, and it has a timer counting down to when the breach will be complete. McGee's computer skills aren't fast enough to shut it down electronically in time, and cutting the power source does nothing to stop it, so Gibbs pulls out his gun and puts a few bullets inside the computer to kill it.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_8d81bb26
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_8d81bb26
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 NCIS
hasFeature
Percussive Shutdown / int_8d81bb26
 Percussive Shutdown / int_9baabb4f
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_9baabb4f
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When Mr. Shifty has to shut something down, this is how he does it.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_9baabb4f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_9baabb4f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Mr. Shifty (Video Game)
hasFeature
Percussive Shutdown / int_9baabb4f
 Percussive Shutdown / int_b962c879
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_b962c879
comment
Fairy Tail seems to love this trope.
The conclusion to the Nirvana Arc involved multiple simultaneous instances of destroying the lacrimas powering Nirvana's legs.
Hades' defeat during the Tenrou Island Arc ultimately comes about from Happy and Carla breaking his power source.
In order to prevent the destruction of Fiore by rampaging dragons, Lucy resolves to destroy the Eclipse gate, erasing its existence in the future and thereby preventing Future Rogue from coming back from seven years in the future and opening the gate in the present.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_b962c879
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 Percussive Shutdown / int_b962c879
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 Fairy Tail (Manga)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_b962c879
 Percussive Shutdown / int_bbcd4e9b
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_bbcd4e9b
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In Digital Devil Saga 2, the Karma Society attempts to stop the protagonists' progress by breaking the control consoles for their electronically locking doors. Unfortunately for them, Roland's Shock and Awe powers allow him to use those consoles anyways.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_bbcd4e9b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_bbcd4e9b
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1.0
 Digital Devil Saga (Video Game)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_bbcd4e9b
 Percussive Shutdown / int_c0105f18
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_c0105f18
comment
The Bionic Woman episode "Doomsday Is Tomorrow". With the doomsday device's countdown running out, Jaime tries to stop the explosion by destroying the circuits of the ALEX 7000 computer that's controlling the countdown.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_c0105f18
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_c0105f18
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Bionic Woman
hasFeature
Percussive Shutdown / int_c0105f18
 Percussive Shutdown / int_d6fcfe6c
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_d6fcfe6c
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In Sing Street, the evil school's principal wants to finish a dance at the gym by turning the lights back on. The former school bully prevents this by smashing the light switch, making it impossible to do so. Everyone cheers and the dance continues.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_d6fcfe6c
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_d6fcfe6c
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 Sing Street
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Percussive Shutdown / int_d6fcfe6c
 Percussive Shutdown / int_efccb9da
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_efccb9da
comment
Voltron: Legendary Defender: After Sendak takes the castle and captures Lance and Shiro, Allura and Keith are stuck outside after the particle barrier is activated, leaving Pidge the only Paladin still at large on the inside. Allura directs Pidge to the castle's star drive chamber, in order to shut it down and prevent Sendak from getting away with the castle, and also the Lions. Unfortunately, the drive activates before Allura can go through the proper shutdown sequence, disrupting communications. With no other options, Pidge just says "whatever" and smashes the controls with her bayard, preventing the launch.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_efccb9da
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1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_efccb9da
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 Voltron: Legendary Defender
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Percussive Shutdown / int_efccb9da
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f186f924
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f186f924
comment
In Horizon Zero Dawn, a sidequest ends with Aloy finding a lure that a merchant had brought into a city, causing Glinthawks to attack. When the merchant stammers that he doesn't know how to shut it off, Aloy gives him a contemptuous look before stabbing it with her spear.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f186f924
featureApplicability
1.0
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f186f924
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 Horizon Zero Dawn (Video Game)
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Percussive Shutdown / int_f186f924
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f74b5f80
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Percussive Shutdown
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f74b5f80
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Babylon 5: Na'toth's rescue of G'kar from an assassination attempt combines this with Percussive Therapy. She comes across G'kar helplessly restrained by "pain-givers'' from dispatching the assassin on his own. After convincing the assassin she's been sent as back-up, she starts beating up G'kar. Moments later, G'kar is able to knock out the assassin unobstructed, where before the attempt would have killed him. Then he and Na'toth share words.
 Percussive Shutdown / int_f74b5f80
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 Percussive Shutdown / int_f74b5f80
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 Babylon 5
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Percussive Shutdown / int_f74b5f80

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

 Percussive Shutdown
processingCategory2
Index of Solutions
 Percussive Shutdown
processingCategory2
Vandalism Tropes
 Artemis / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 The Mechanisms (Music) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 The Red Green Show / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Three's Company / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Mr. Shifty (Video Game) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Battle Nexus (Video Game) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus (Video Game) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 The Division (Video Game) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 The Kaskade Region (Web Video) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Switcheroo AU (Webcomic) / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Inside Out / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Voltron: Legendary Defender / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown
 Torchwood / int_a05571a4
type
Percussive Shutdown