Trope-a-Day: Awakening the Sleeping Giant
Awakening The Sleeping Giant: Played mostly straight with the Empire, who despite qualifying as a superpower prefer not to have to referee the world (and, indeed, much of their participation in such transnational organizations as the Conclave of Galactic Polities is to avoid having to, as far as that is possible.) At least in the public sector – your private organizations may vary. And nevertheless, if someone is determined to start something, and keeps trying to start something, they’re happy to finish it with the Doctrine of Disproportionate Retribution.
Thus, their foreign military policy looks much like America’s back in the old sensible days, i.e., much like a hibernating bear’s:
Poke. Slap.
Poke. Slap.
Poke. Slap.
Poke. Slap.
Po – “HULK SMAAAAAAAAASH!”
(This also exists in something of a dynamic tension with No One Gets Left Behind, which see.)