Anime and Manga
Keitaro: Why'd you put in something like that!?
Suu: You know, that's just something mad scientists do.
Suu: You know, that's just something mad scientists do.
Kneesocks: Well that was a most triumphant day. Everything went precisely as you had planned and I was actually starting to enjoy myself playing with those nimwits, can you believe it? What's the matter?
Scanty: Sea whores! Why did we ever allow them to defeat us like that? I hope they enjoyed every second of it because it will never be permitted for it to happen again! Next time, they die! [accidentally presses a button in rage]
Kneesocks: That's the self-destruct button!
[G-String proceeds to blow up, causing Scanty, Kneesocks, and Fastener to become heavily burned.]
Kneesocks: What is the point of that button? Who would choose to use it?
Scanty: Sea whores! Why did we ever allow them to defeat us like that? I hope they enjoyed every second of it because it will never be permitted for it to happen again! Next time, they die! [accidentally presses a button in rage]
Kneesocks: That's the self-destruct button!
[G-String proceeds to blow up, causing Scanty, Kneesocks, and Fastener to become heavily burned.]
Kneesocks: What is the point of that button? Who would choose to use it?
Fan Works
"Well unless you've got any more bright ideas," said B'Ellen. "I suggest we go to Plan Flee. Big Brother, where's the self-destruct mechanism?"
There was a long silence from the computer.
"Why?" Big Brother asked suspiciously.
"Err...we just want to look at it," B'Ellen mumbled.
"Um, yes," said Kaneway. "We've er, never seen a self-destruct mechanism before."
"You cowards," fumed the computer. "You want to destroy the ship and run away. If I were a HAL-9000 I would kill you where you stand!"
There was a long silence from the computer.
"Why?" Big Brother asked suspiciously.
"Err...we just want to look at it," B'Ellen mumbled.
"Um, yes," said Kaneway. "We've er, never seen a self-destruct mechanism before."
"You cowards," fumed the computer. "You want to destroy the ship and run away. If I were a HAL-9000 I would kill you where you stand!"
— ALIEN!!!
"Could you test your self-destruct sequence for me? I want to make sure it works. (Imperial probe droid flies off with an indignant squawk) All right, take it easy! One of these days that's going to work..."
— Sentry Patrol 735, Imperial Military Personnel Stories
Film — Animation
Phineas: Everything's wired through this self-destruct button. Do you even need that?
Doofensmirtz: Well, of course I need- [Beat] Wait a minute; no, I do not need that. You are absolutely right!
Doofensmirtz: Well, of course I need- [Beat] Wait a minute; no, I do not need that. You are absolutely right!
Film — Live-Action
Kirk: Computer, this is Admiral James T. Kirk, requesting security access. Computer, Destruct Sequence One, Code 1-1-A.
Scotty: Computer, Commander Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineering Officer. Destruct Sequence Two, Code 1-1-A-2-B.
Chekov: Computer, this is Commander Pavel Chekov, Acting Science Officer. Destruct Sequence Three, Code 1-B-2-B-3.
Computer: Destruct sequence completed and engaged. Awaiting final code for one-minute countdown.
Kirk: Code 0-0-0-Destruct-0.
Computer: Destruct sequence is activated.
[later, after several Klingons enter The Bridge]
Torg: My lord, the ship appears to be deserted.
Kruge: How can that be? They're hiding.
Torg: Yes, sir, and the bridge appears to be run by computer. It is the only thing speaking.
Kruge: Speaking? Let me hear.
[Torg holds his communicator up to a console]
Computer: 9...8...7...6...5...
Kruge: GET OUT! GET OUT OF THERE! GET OUT!
Computer: 2...1...
[BOOM]
Scotty: Computer, Commander Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineering Officer. Destruct Sequence Two, Code 1-1-A-2-B.
Chekov: Computer, this is Commander Pavel Chekov, Acting Science Officer. Destruct Sequence Three, Code 1-B-2-B-3.
Computer: Destruct sequence completed and engaged. Awaiting final code for one-minute countdown.
Kirk: Code 0-0-0-Destruct-0.
Computer: Destruct sequence is activated.
[later, after several Klingons enter The Bridge]
Torg: My lord, the ship appears to be deserted.
Kruge: How can that be? They're hiding.
Torg: Yes, sir, and the bridge appears to be run by computer. It is the only thing speaking.
Kruge: Speaking? Let me hear.
[Torg holds his communicator up to a console]
Computer: 9...8...7...6...5...
Kruge: GET OUT! GET OUT OF THERE! GET OUT!
Computer: 2...1...
[BOOM]
James Bonomo: You're probably wondering why I happen to have my safehouse all wired up.
Taylor Kwon: Not really. Like most criminals, you have a paranoid personality.
Taylor Kwon: Not really. Like most criminals, you have a paranoid personality.
Literature
Every now and again Lamm would remind people not to give him any problems. He was well armed and deadly, and his suit even had a nuclear device in it which he said he would set off sooner than be captured. The inference he seemed to hope people would make was that, if they upset him, he might just set off this fabled nuke in a fit of pique.
"Fire a single shot into Darkhan territory and I press this button. You know what it does, every one of your ships has them as well. Every control rod will be blown out of the ship's pile in that instant and half your filthy city will go up in the explosion. Go on, fire. I think I will enjoy pressing this."
— Darkhan navy officer, Deathworld
"Amazing. Look at all those levers. It's not a joke that the only thing a stranger can operate on most mad-science inventions is the self-destruct."
"That's over—" I clapped my hands over my mouth. Ohmygod. I'd built a self-destruct lever into my smelter.
"That's over—" I clapped my hands over my mouth. Ohmygod. I'd built a self-destruct lever into my smelter.
"Jaeger One touchdown," I called and ran to take cover in the shadow of the nearest building. The other seven soldiers in my team landed in quick succession after me, and within fifteen seconds of my touchdown, all the Pods had entered self-destruct mode, their electrical parts destroyed by acid and the artificial flesh killed by having its supply of life-giving enzymes cut off.
— Genocidal Organ, by Project ITOH
"Primary data center penetrated. Commencing self destruct sequence." There was a pause. "And there is no countdown."
"Shit!"
"Shit!"
— Daemon
Live-Action TV
IG-11 droid: It appears we are trapped. I will initiate self-destruct sequencing.
Mando: Whoa, you're what?
IG-11 droid: Manufacturer's Protocol dictates I cannot be captured. I must self-destruct.
Mando: Do not self-destruct!
Dr. Chaotica: Your once proud country will fall to its knees. How ironic that I am using your rocket ship to lead my space force into battle!
Kim: You're wrong, Chaotica. Before you came on board, someone pushed the self-destruct button. In three minutes, we'll all be dead.
Dr. Chaotica: [with appropriate body language] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Kim: You're wrong, Chaotica. Before you came on board, someone pushed the self-destruct button. In three minutes, we'll all be dead.
Dr. Chaotica: [with appropriate body language] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
— Star Trek: Voyager, "Night"
Music
Now, how will we revenge ourselves on those who raise our ire?
Write code that self-destructs the day the warranties expire!
Write code that self-destructs the day the warranties expire!
— Duane Elms, "Threes Rev 1.1"
Video Games
"I know your UNATCO killphrase: Laputan Machine."
— JC Denton, Deus Ex
"Self-destruct mechanism activated! Evacuate immediately!"
— Countdown, Metroid: Zero Mission
Webcomics
"You have activated the decoy self-destruct. Please remain where you are. Armed guards will arrive immediately to capture you or shoot on sight, depending on their mood.
Real evil labs don't have 'self-destruct' systems in their control room. What are you, stupid?"
Real evil labs don't have 'self-destruct' systems in their control room. What are you, stupid?"
— Computer System, Exterminatus Now, "Our Base Is Cliché Proof"
Haley: I think we've got all the treasure gathered.
Roy: Good, good. Well, gang, it looks like we're out of here.
Elan: Yup. Nothing left to do but activate the self-destruction rune and leave.
[Beat Panel]
Roy: The... the what?
Elan: Y'know, the rune over behind Xykon's throne labeled "Castle Self-Destruct." We just activate that and leave. Right?
Roy: Why would we... want to destroy the castle?
Roy: Good, good. Well, gang, it looks like we're out of here.
Elan: Yup. Nothing left to do but activate the self-destruction rune and leave.
[Beat Panel]
Roy: The... the what?
Elan: Y'know, the rune over behind Xykon's throne labeled "Castle Self-Destruct." We just activate that and leave. Right?
Roy: Why would we... want to destroy the castle?
Ob'enn Admiral: Your name is no longer 'Petey.' You are Sword Of Inevitable Justice again.
Petey: I'm afraid I'm a double-edged sword, Admiral. Besides, Sword Of Inevitable Justice Again is a stupid name.
Narrator: The only weapon Petey (Err... Sword) has is his drive. Since it is powered by neutronium annihilation, it'll do just fine.
Ob'enn Admiral: Uh-oh.
Narrator: There's a trick to keeping neutronium stable. It's easily enough undone.
Ob'enn Admiral: The A.I. has gone feral! Nobody said anything about the A.I. being feral!
Narrator: The result is strikingly similar to a chemical explosion. Lots of solid suddenly becomes lots and lots and lots of gas. And lots and lots and lots...
[BOOM!]
Petey: I'm afraid I'm a double-edged sword, Admiral. Besides, Sword Of Inevitable Justice Again is a stupid name.
Narrator: The only weapon Petey (Err... Sword) has is his drive. Since it is powered by neutronium annihilation, it'll do just fine.
Ob'enn Admiral: Uh-oh.
Narrator: There's a trick to keeping neutronium stable. It's easily enough undone.
Ob'enn Admiral: The A.I. has gone feral! Nobody said anything about the A.I. being feral!
Narrator: The result is strikingly similar to a chemical explosion. Lots of solid suddenly becomes lots and lots and lots of gas. And lots and lots and lots...
[BOOM!]
Ennesby: Bail out now, Brad. You don't want to be anywhere near your tank when it tumbles into the cityscape.
Brad: How many people is this tank going to kill when it hits?
Ennesby: Maybe a hundred. Unless you plow straight through the base of a good sized condominium complex. Then the number is higher.
Brad: You know what would be nice right about now?
Ennesby: A drag chute and a signed contract for exclusive hypernet rights to the stunt coverage?
Brad: A proper self-destruct. Or just a couple of variable grenades with nice, long timers.
Brad: How many people is this tank going to kill when it hits?
Ennesby: Maybe a hundred. Unless you plow straight through the base of a good sized condominium complex. Then the number is higher.
Brad: You know what would be nice right about now?
Ennesby: A drag chute and a signed contract for exclusive hypernet rights to the stunt coverage?
Brad: A proper self-destruct. Or just a couple of variable grenades with nice, long timers.
Western Animation
"Coin operated self-destruct... Not one of my better ideas."
— Plankton, SpongeBob SquarePants, "Imitation Krabs"
"Self destruct will occur in t-minus ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one..."
Oglethorpe: Ours is voice-activated! All you have to do is say "explode", and it does just that!
Computer: 5, 4, 3, 2...
Computer: 5, 4, 3, 2...
— Spacecataz, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
"Oops! I almost hit the self-destruct button here! What? I-I install one on everything. It's my thing. I put one on my coffee machine, on my TV, I have one everywhere. I even put one on my underwear. See? Look. (he activates his underwear's self-destruct button) Oof! Oh, that, uh...that was not pleasant."
— Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb