The Last Straw

Not to be confused with Obstacles and Arguments, there comes a time when the hero or heroine does something that leads to something that is terrible at its worst, like the hero's worst tantrum, crossing the line, or the breaking point in a story. In other words, this is the last straw.

Noteworthy Examples

 * After Sebastian spills the beans about Ariel being with Eric, Triton confronts Ariel in her grotto, leading to their breaking point.
 * When Miguel blurts out that he wants to be a musician, his family forbids it and Abuelita, in a desperate attempt to protect him, smashes his guitar.
 * Max crosses the line when he bursts forth in front of his mother and bites her on the shoulder when she tries to take him to his room.
 * After Terrell and his goons turn his friend Kevin against him, Chiron reaches his breaking point and smashes a chair over his head out of revenge, which leads him to get arrested and sent to juvenile hall.
 * Eep Crood tries to call Guy with her shell horn but her family breaks it. With that, she flies into a rage and hits her brother on the head, which in turn makes Grug furious.
 * When Belle enters the West Wing, this leads to the breaking point in the story, where the Beast yells at her to get out of his castle (in the 2017 film, fearing the curse on the castle will never be broken because of her.

Quotes
"(Queen Elinor drags Merida into the tapestry room by her arm and tosses her inside.) (Queen Elinor: Mighty me! I've had just about enough of you, lass!) You're the one that wants me to - (Queen Elinor: You embarrassed them. You embarrassed me!) I followed the rules! (Queen Elinor, slamming the door: You don't know what you've done!) I don't care how - (Queen Elinor, sternly: It will be fire and sword if it's not set right.) Just listen! (Queen Elinor, putting her foot down: I am the QUEEN! YOU listen to ME!) AAAARGH! This is so unfair! (Queen Elinor, with a scoff: Unfair?) (Merida grabs up her sword.) You're NEVER there for me! This whole marriage is what YOU want. Do you ever bother to ask what I want? No! You walk around telling me what to do, what not to do, trying to make me be like YOU. Well, I'm not going to be like you! (Queen Elinor: Och, you're acting like a child.) (Merida walks over to the family tapestry.) And YOU'RE a...BEAST! That's what YOU are! (Elinor gasps.) (Queen Elinor: Merida!) I'll never be like you! (Queen Elinor: No! Stop that!) (exploding) I'd rather DIE than be like you! (As she speaks, Merida slashes the tapestry with her sword, ripping a huge gash between the images of herself and her mother. Elinor gives out a gasp. But then, her shock turns to anger and she steps up to her daughter.) (Queen Elinor, fuming: Merida, you are a princess...) (Elinor pulls the sword out of Merida's hands and takes away her bow.) MUM! (Queen Elinor: ...and I expect you to ACT like one!) (In a fit of rage, Elinor tosses Merida's bow into the fireplace. Merida gasps and her mother gives her a stern glance. Merida feels her lower lip tremble and as she runs out of the room in tears, Elinor calls out to her.) (Queen Elinor: Merida! MERIDA!) (Elinor hears the bowstring twang, and in regret, she fishes the bow out of the roaring fire.) (Queen Elinor: Oh, no. What have I done?) (As Elinor sinks to the floor, sobbing, Merida rides away from the castle on Angus.)"

- Merida crossing the line during her argument with her mother.