In self-defense, which statement about proportionality of force is correct?

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Proportionality in self-defense means you may use only the amount of force that is reasonably necessary to prevent the imminent harm you’re facing. The force should match the seriousness of the threat and the circumstances, taking into account things like how quickly the danger could escalate, your ability to retreat, and what options you had to avoid harm.

So, the response must be proportionate to the threat. If the danger is just a possible punch, a defensive block or a tap without escalation is appropriate; deadly force is only justified if there is imminent deadly harm. The other ideas miss the point: using more force than necessary isn’t permitted, provocation isn’t the controlling factor in self-defense, and force doesn’t have to be merely minor or trivial if a serious threat exists.