Maybe Mugino will halve the punishment?
"Children, your performance was miserable. Your parents will all receive phone calls instructing them to love you less now!"
— Miss Bitters, Invader Zim, "Door to Door"
When things go wrong, it's natural for people to be irritated. When mishaps are the result of another person's actions, be it a deliberate act or a careless mistake, that irritation warrants retribution of some sort. And when the person who was irritated is of higher rank or social standing, it's almost certain that they can back up their promise of pending punishment, to the sweating and nervousness of the person who screwed up.
This is typically Played for Laughs, and the penalty is either something that serves as taken for granted that it takes place offscreen, or it becomes a Brick Joke, wherein the audience may have almost forgotten about it until the person who made the threat of punishment and payback makes their move some time later.
When the threat is made, this will usually result in a Loud Gulp and/or nervous laughter as the person tries to justify what they've done or talk their way out of the fate they've brought down on themselves.
In some cases the one in trouble is only guilty of a Felony Misdemeanor, and/or the payback falls under Disproportionate Retribution, oft falling into Black Comedy.
Note that this sort of threat is for people who are ostensibly allies, whether heroic or villainous, or even just casual friend groups. Threats of revenge between known adversaries are covered by any number of revenge tropes, such as We Will Meet Again.
Depending on how long it takes, it may overlap with Best Served Cold.
See also Paranoia Gambit, where the promise of payback is usually a false one, made only for the purpose of messing with the target's head.
Compare Implied Death Threat. Also compare Advance Notice Crime. Compare and contrast This Means War!
Examples:
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Anime & Manga
- A Certain Scientific Railgun: When Mikoto has to face off against the members of ITEM, she finds that the last one is fellow Level 5 ESPer Mugino Shizuri, aka Meltdowner. Mugino's power is on par with Mikoto's own, and unlike Mikoto, she's perfectly willing to kill her enemies in a fight. However, she gets clobbered from behind by a doll that her fellow ITEM member Frenda used as a weapon. This results in Mugino leaving a message for Frenda, "Prepare to be punished." This is actually a Call-Forward to the fact that Mugino will later fry Frenda's lower half off for giving up info on ITEM to rival organization SCHOOL, despite being tortured to do so.
- Release the Spyce: Mei had worked as a Fake Defector, pretending to be The Mole and sell out her team in Tsukikage to the enemy organization Moryo. However, she'd also prepared several countermeasures to ensure her teammates got out of the situation alright, even without them knowing initially about her assistance. When Yuki finds out what happened, having taken a few serious injuries in the process, Mei says, "Things don't always go according to plan." Yuki is, to say the least, irritated.
Yuki: I had an idea what you'd done. Don't worry, I'll get you back for this, later.
Mei: (nervous chuckle) H-Hey, I apologized as I was leaving, didn't I?! - Snow White with the Red Hair: Prince Zen is forced to have at least one marriage meeting to satisfy a requirement from his older brother, Prince Izana. He chooses to go with his own retainer, Kiki, who is an eligible noble. Izana thinks it's Actually Pretty Funny, saying it's his own fault for not taking Kiki off of the list. However, no one informed Zen's love interest, Shirayuki, about the situation, until Obi simply told her that Zen was having a marriage meeting, and didn't tell her with whom because of instructions to keep it on the down-low. When Zen finds out, he's seething.
Zen: Obi, do I have to punish you?
Obi: What? Why?! - Teasing Master Takagi-san: During a school play, Kimura suffers an upset stomach backstage and foists his Prince costume off on Nishikata, who gets shoved out on stage in front of Takagi. Nishikata has to quickly ad-lib a happy ending for the play, but the audience loves it, in no small part due to the chemistry between Nishikata and Takagi. However, afterwards, when the class is celebrating their success, Kimura tries to downplay his screw-up by saying, "There were a few problems, but we got through." The trio of girls who wrote the script point out that Kimura was the only problem, and one of them says they're going to roast him later.
Comic Books
- Thor: In Thor (2007) #3, after Civil War, Iron Man tried to intimidate Thor into joining up with the new regime. Thor, already displeased with Tony's actions during Civil War — in particular, creating a Thor clone and passing it off as the real thing — showed him how useless his threats were, wrecking his armor and threatening worse should he try again. As Tony prepared to go, Thor made it clear that the matter of the clone wasn't settled.
Thor: One last thing. At this moment, I have more pressing business to attend to. But in the time to come, be assured that you and I will finish — discussing — your violation of my person, my genetic code, and what was once a friendship that I valued.
Tony: Right.
Fan Works
- Dungeon Keeper Ami: In "A Scheme Pays Off", Ami is notified that some of her minions broke her rules, whereupon she reminds them of the rules and that there's an unspecified-at-the-time "punishment" for breaking said rules. It being unspecified because Ami needed to invent the tools for said punishment and she didn't know if it was possible at the time.
Films — Animation
- Recess: School's Out: Prickly's flashback to the end of his and Phil Benedict's friendship after the former stopped the latter's plan to phase out recess sees Benedict fired, his principal job given to Prickly, and his then-girlfriend Miss Finster breaking up with him — none of which Prickly intended as he only intended to save the school's recess. As the flashback ends, Benedict gives this chilling warning:
Benedict: You took my chick. You took my job. Well, enjoy it while you can, Petey boy, 'cause you're gonna pay! Somehow, some way. You're gonna pay.
- Scared Shrekless: During the middle segment, Puss and Donkey clash throughout their Imagine Spot, each trying to make the other look bad. At one point, when Donkey ends up crushing Puss under a bed, the stabby tabby growls that he will get him for this.
Literature
- In Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Greg Heffley reveals that Susan, his mother, punishes her children this way. Whereas Frank, Greg's father, just throws whatever's in his hands, Susan takes a moment to discern the most fitting punishment and then lays into the troublemaker after he forgets he's in trouble. Greg cites himself as an example, initially buttering her up and playing video games later. Then, his mom walks in and hits him with a one-week ban.
- The Screwtape Letters: "Letter 22" has Screwtape inform Wormwood that his attempt at being The Starscream has failed horribly, as Screwtape has "tidied over" the business Wormwood tried to raise with the secret police of Hell about some of Screwtape's "unguarded statements". He also says he's enclosing a booklet, The New House of Corrections for Incompetent Tempters, which, Screwtape notes, is "profusely illustrated" and Wormwood "will not find a dull page in it". The Focus on the Family audio production has Andy Serkis close out the letter with a very chilling read of a not-so-veiled threat.
Screwtape: I am fully recovered now, limbs and all, and look forward to renewing our teacher/student relationship... among other things.
- A Song of Ice and Fire: During the War of Five Kings, one of the claimants, Renly, dies mysteriously, and most of his followers flock to his brother Stannis. Stannis, who is notorious for his ability to hold a grudge, makes it very clear that he won't forget that they ignored his relatively strong claim to the throne in favor of his more pliable brother, and they will all eventually have to answer for their disloyalty.
- In X-Wing Series, Wedge Antilles overlooks a major flaw in an upcoming op (he will be working one-on-one with Chewbacca, but doesn't speak Wookiee), and Wes Janson realizes it first. After Wes informs the entire squadron and support staff of the mistake before telling Wedge himself, complete with running a Workplace Betting Pool on how Wedge would react, Wedge tells him that "You've finally earned my most terrible revenge." Wes doesn't take it seriously, believing that an Officer and a Gentleman like Wedge wouldn't sink to juvenile stunts like his, but later has to admit that Wedge's epic retaliatory prank was worthy of the threat.
Live-Action TV
- Big Brother: In the fourth UK series, Federico causes the group to fail the pedalo task, leaving them with a tiny shopping budget. His fellow housemate Ray says cheerfully "from this moment it shall never be spoken of again... until nomination day", referring to whom he will nominate for eviction.
- Castle (2009): In "Deep in Death", Medical Examiner Lanie Parish is up a fire ladder examining a body in a tree. She complains that she has tree branches poking her boobs and a spotlight shining up her booty. Espisito posits that it could be worse, as she could be wearing a skirt.
Lanie: When I come down, I'm gonna smack you.
- Fallout (2024): After Knight Titus is badly mauled by a yao guai, he blames the entire incident on his squire Maximus (despite the entire event being his fault because he just wanted to go out into the wilderness and shoot something) and says he'll be executed for his failures in the field once they get back to base. Maximus is the only person present and the only only who can patch up Titus' wounds. Hearing this and recalling Titus' cowardice against the yaoi guai, Maximus withholds treatment and allows Titus to die of his injuries.
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: In "Best Laid Plans", when Will very nearly crosses a major red line (read: Staging a fake wedding just to sleep with a girl who wouldn't give it up before marriage), Uncle Phil is so incensed, he straight up tells Will that the only reason he wasn't getting punished right then and there was because Phil had to take extra time to think up the ultimate punishment. About three years later, Phil finally gets the idea of putting Will through medieval torture, and actually gets very close to going through with it, before coming to his senses.
Phil: ...I'm not going to punish you, Will.
Will: (beat) ...That's radical, Uncle Phil, but it just might work.
Phil: I'm not going to punish you today. Maybe not even tomorrow. You see, I need to think a long, long time about what I'm going to do with you. I don't know, it might come to me... pfft, in the middle of the night. Or maybe next week, or, a few years from now. In the meantime, why don't you worry about it? Be afraid, Will... (pulls him in close) Be very afraid. - iCarly: In "iKiss", Sam puts a dead fish in Freddie's locker, so he handcuffs her to Gibby. She chases him down (Gibby still in tow) and forces him to unlock the cuffs, and then promises him that she'll get him back. Freddie says he isn't scared and then runs off to throw up as soon as Sam leaves. She ends up telling the entire iCarly audience that Freddie's never been kissed, humiliating him — something even she comes to realize was too far.
Sam: I'm gonna get you. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But I'm gonna get you.
- Keeping Up Appearances: In "Sea Fever", Richard makes his wife Hyacinth push the car when they get stuck in a muddy field. She says, "You'll pay for this, Richard Bucket! ...Bouquet!"
- Modern Family: In "Halloween 3: AwesomeLand", Phil and Claire’s neighborhood has a "scariest house" contest on Halloween. Their new neighbors, Ronnie and Amber, win the contest by tricking Phil and Claire into going with Phil’s original non-scary idea. After realizing they’ve been deceived, Claire has this to say to Ronnie and Amber:
Claire: There will come a day when you will pay for this! You won’t know when, and you won’t know how, but you will feel it.
- Night Court:
- "Dan's Boss" sees Dan behave like a total Jerkass to his new boss, Vincent Daniels, an accomplished lawyer who is also a little person. After Dan has a Jerkass Realization, due to a Somber Backstory Revelation from Vincent about his father running out on him and his mother, he tells Vincent that he is truly sorry, and says Vincent may shoot him in the organ of his choice.
Vincent: Apology accepted. [grins] I'll get back to you on which organ.
- In "I'm OK, You're Catatonic/Schizophrenic", Dan accidentally destroys Harry's Mel Torme record collection. Harry has to be physically restrained when he's informed of this.
Harry: I am going to eat... his... eyebrows!
- "Dan's Boss" sees Dan behave like a total Jerkass to his new boss, Vincent Daniels, an accomplished lawyer who is also a little person. After Dan has a Jerkass Realization, due to a Somber Backstory Revelation from Vincent about his father running out on him and his mother, he tells Vincent that he is truly sorry, and says Vincent may shoot him in the organ of his choice.
- The Sopranos: In the series finale, Phil is angered that the Mob War he started has entered a lengthy stalemate because nobody has been able to find where Tony's been hunkered down. When his consigliere Butchie slightly implies that maybe they should consider calling for a truce, Phil is enraged and strongly insinuates a very harsh punishment once this is all over. Butchie, now fearing for his life, convinces Phil's other captains (all equally sick of how long the war has pointlessly dragged on) into selling him out, and they give Tony the OK to have their boss whacked.
Radio
- John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme: One sketch has a man apologising to his partner for various incidents (taking their kid for fast food, lying about giving up smoking, lying about seeing the in-laws) in the hope that doing so all at once will allow him to get it all out of the way easier. His husband seems to take it calmly, but then says this is because he prefers to do his awful deeds in one go, rather than sequential little stupid things. So he's saving up something to get back at him. And when he does, his partner will be really, really sorry.
Video Games
- Digimon Story: Time Stranger: When Inori and Hiroko rescued from the sewer by her father Kosuke and the Agent, once they get out safely, Kosuke scolds them for going into a place that dangerous, but saves punishing Inori via a lecture for when they get home that night.
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance: After Ike, Boyd and Oscar disobey Titania's orders to go off on their own to rescue Mist and Rolf, Greil intends to have them confined to quarters as punishment. He then says they have too much work at the moment and delays their penalties for now.
Web Videos
- The Nostalgia Critic: In "You're a Dirty Rotten Bastard: A Christmas Special", the 2010 holiday special, having experienced a world where he never existed and all his friends are better off for it, the Critic joyfully wishes his Channel Awesome colleagues a Merry Christmas in the most insulting ways possible. Angry Joe's response is to tell the Critic that he's working on a grenade with his name on it.
Western Animation
- Parodied in American Dad!:
- After getting pranked rather badly by Roger and Steve, Klaus the fish vows — rather vividly — to take revenge on the two. Over time, Steve and Roger become so terrified by the thought of Klaus' revenge that they end up in hiding and eventually begging Klaus to take his revenge already… only to find out he forgot all about it. When Klaus attempts to renew his vow of revenge, they ultimately put a stop to it by trapping him in his fishbowl.
- When Roger opens a fancy bar in his restaurant, Klaus snarkily points out that there have been no customers as of yet. Roger simply responds by telling the fish that he will eat him one day.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender: In "The Western Air Temple", Zuko accidentally burns Toph on the feet. While Toph acknowledges that it was an accident and even allows Zuko to join the Gaang, she comments, "it will give [her] a lot of time to get back at him".
- Family Guy: In the episode "Patriot Games", Stewie gives Brian a revenge shot after beating him up repeatedly for not paying back a $50 boxing bet. This leads to Stewie getting paranoid about not knowing when Brian gets his revenge. Then at the very end of the episode, after Stewie forgets about the revenge shot, Brian pushes him in front of a moving bus.
- Rocky and Bullwinkle: In one of the Fractured Fairy Tales segments, the story concerns a young hellion named Nat (short for Nathaniel), a Jerkass with a penchant for mischief. For his misdeeds, his flustered father declares, "Some day, you'll hang!" After enduring a comeuppance as a gnat courtesy of a justice fairy, Nat decides to preclude that fate by changing his name to Arthur. "I just want to be me, Art." The justice fairy then transforms him into a framed painting. From then on, the renegade son can be seen hanging... on the living room wall.
You ended one of your edits with a preposition. There will be consequences later, Troper.