This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Chrome Newfie: The term means "blow of mercy" and is intended to be the killing blow to end the suffering of a wounded creature or person. In that sense, the term more strictly applies to the (many) scenes where we see someone give their best friend a round to the head rather than have them die from their untreatable, agonizing gut shot, or similar. Might apply to or be related to scenes where the mortally wounded is given a chance to strike back at the foe one last time (e.g. in Aliens, with Vasquez, Gorman, and the grenade). I'd almost make the last one it's own trope, maybe From Hells Heart I Stab At Thee.
From the chivalrous end, it also got applied to a dishonoured opponents wish to be given an honourable death. This too, is a heroic trope. However, a drift away from "honour on the battlefield" ideals have turned it into the heinous act of someone determined to end an opponent.
Even with that exception, I think the trope needs to be expanded in that direction, or renamed and a better name for what is already there... maybe Kick Him While Hes Down?
Silent Hunter: Split them, I say. Thanks for your comment.
Lale: You know, the most frustrating thing for me in four years of French class was that half the letters in French words really aren't pronounced. But in this case, the "e" indicates the "ss" sound is pronounced.
Seth: From Hells Heart I Stab At Thee... for the sheer awesomeness of that name i say split.
Bob thinks that this trope should be split with Mercy Kill according to morality: Mercy Kill=Good guys trope, Coup de Grâce=Bad guys trope
Kitsune Nine Tails: Can someone update the trope entry with how to really pronounce it? :) So far I see two ways NOT to pronounce it. Should it be "coo de grahss"?
And maybe we should move the grammar lesson to a footnote, or extra bullet point instead of in the direct text. It's really cool to have, I think, and informative, but IMHO it really clouds up the discussion of the trope itself where it is now.
DrLombriz Okay, so we got a lesson on how it's not pronounced (I thought it was coo day grah), how is it ACTUALLY pronounced?
