History Main / BoxedCrook

* The '80s version of DCComics' ''SuicideSquad'' featured an assortment of supervillains sent on black-ops missions by the government in exchange for pardons. This version was featured on ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' as "Task Force X" in the episode of the same name.
** 'Task Force X' is the 'official' name of the Suicide Squad in the comics as well. One would assume it was changed for [[NeverSayDie much the same reason]] as Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke the Terminator, became just 'Slade' on the Teen Titans cartoon.
** Intentional or not, Who would join a group called the "Suicide Squad" anyway if they valued their lives?
*** Considering that Deadshot was about to be executed, joining the "Suicide Squad" with the option of possibly surviving is a lot better than staying in jail with no possibility of surviving.
*** Of course, it should be noted that the Suicide Squad was (or at least has been {{retcon}}ned to be) a nickname rather than an official designation. So the question you should be asking is "why would someone call this group they've joined the Suicide Squad?" That question has a much more obvious answer.
*** The "Suicide Squad" nickname came about because the odds of surviving long enough to get a pardon are not good. However, the odds of surviving if you ''decline'' an invitation are worse.
*** Plus the fact that many of the squad members were borderline suicidal.

** Duncan himself in ''The Calling'' novel. A pickpocket on the streets of Val Royeaux (especially since he's not even Orlesian). He gets caught by the guards and is facing severe punishment. Luckily for him, a Grey Warden commander happens to be in town and invokes the Rite of Conscription.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', [[spoiler:the inmates of the Birdcage are released to help fight Scion.]]

** the second time Othar Tryggvassen, '''GentlemanAdventurer!''' was caught and brought to [[MagnificentBastard Klaus]], the Baron reminds him he's ''not'' a cardboard villain, so there will be no deathtraps... but a "job". Of course, the "job" sends him into Castle Heterodyne, which has deathtraps to spare. He's also fitted with an [[ExplosiveLeash explosive collar]], just like every other prisoner in the Castle.

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Hinjo recruits high-level prisoners to defend the city, offering to reduce their sentences by five years if they do. This example demonstrates the importance of "insurance" and how easily an employer can be screwed over without it- one is hired by an ambitious politician to assassinate Hinjo and the other defects to the BigBad before she even starts fighting. By contrast, Belkar considers turning on Hinjo but is forced to decide against it due to the mark of justice that only Hinjo can remove- the only incentive for the other two was a reduced sentence. Being [[ThePaladin a paladin]], it is possible that binding "insurance" either didn't occur to Hinjo or would have directly conflicted with his code.

* In ''Webcomic/TalesOfTheQuestor'', how the squire was compelled to accompany Quentyn. [[http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00683.html He reminds Quentyn of that fact when persuading him not to go back to the duke.]]

* In ''GeneralProtectionFault'', Agent #18 tells Yoshi that if he helps out with running the MuTex to [[spoiler:save Nick from the Negaverse]], he won't tell his parents about his hacking.
* In ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'', a fairly large group of crooks (mostly murderers with useful skills) are literally boxed inside Castle Heterodyne, a mad scientist's funhouse fulled with deathtraps and run by an insane AI, and ordered to figure the place out or die trying in what amounts to a protracted death sentence that ''may'' produce useful results.

* The "dirty half dozen" in ''{{SSDD}}'' were a bunch of hackers that were caught and offered pardons by a shadowy (and under funded) government agency to create [[AIIsACrapshoot the Oracle]]. Three ended up in jail anyways when they used the Oracle to continue hacking, one was unexpectedly hit by a bus, and the last one ran away.

* In ''TalesOfTheQuestor'', how the squire was compelled to accompany Quentyn. [[http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00683.html He reminds Quentyn of that fact when persuading him not to go back to the duke.]]
* The entire company is this at one point in SchlockMercenary. then their enemy gets his fancy ship blown up.

* The DCComics series ''Hunter's Hellcats'' had a very similar premise to ''GarrisonsGorillas'' (see below).

** The anklet isn't designed to be impossible to remove - it's designed to be impossible to not alert the government if it is removed.

* The first ''CiaphasCain'' novel has him deal with the aftermath of a riot by getting all the instigators as light a sentance as possible (both because he wants to avoid damaging the recently created battalion's morale even further and to get himself a nice, friendly fire preventing reputation for putting TheMenFirst[[hottip:*:That is to say the soldiers. Putting the male members above the females would put him in [[AmazonBrigade even more danger than mistreating them equally]].]]). He sentences the soldiers who actually committed murder in the riots to "death" via penal legion (see the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' example in the TabletopGames section). In the end [[spoiler: he ends up using them for a suicide mission he has to go on himself, with the promise that they'll be spared the penal legion if they survive.]]

* ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' plot started when the hacker was caught breaking into MegaCorp machine. One of bosses offered freedom and a new neural interface if he agree to covertly disable [[MoralityChip some non-essential components]] of their space station's AI.

* ''Film/XXx'': Xander (Vin Diesel) works for the NSA or goes to prison for Grand Theft Auto. (No, not [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto that]] ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''.)

** Remade for America as ''PointOfNoReturn''. The lead doesn't want to cooperate but since the alternative is execution...

* In ''{{Halo 2}}'', the condemned Elite being offered the chance to become the Arbiter is a variation of this: it was made quite clear to him that he ''would'' die either way. However, by becoming the Arbiter, he would have the opportunity to regain his lost honor, and cleanse himself of his status as a heretic. The Arbiter in ''Halo Wars'' appears to be in a similar situation, except he's been doing his job long enough to be a very dangerous physical combatant.
** The Arbiter in ''Halo 2'' manages to survive his ordeal. As a backup plan, the Hierarchs have ordered Tartarus to kill him if this happens.
* Lobelia from ''SakuraTaisen 3'' definitely qualifies. Unlike the rest of her sweet, innocent team, Lobelia fights not for Paris, but for the reduction of her ''one thousand year prison sentence.'' Also, fair is fair, as she's responsible for roughly 85% of all crimes in Paris anyway. Oh, and any failure most probably means death.

* ''XXx'': Xander (Vin Diesel) works for the NSA or goes to prison for Grand Theft Auto. (No, not [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto that]] ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''.)

* The basic plot of RaymondEFeist's ''Shadow of a Dark Queen'', complete with slightly sadistic sergeant.

* Classic ''TabletopGame/Traveller''. Several of the adventure seeds in the ''76 Patrons'' supplement involve {{PC}}s who are arrested and imprisoned by the local authorities and offered their freedom if they'll do a job for the government.

* ''MassEffect2'': You are ordered to recruit Jack, the most powerful human biotic in the galaxy, who just happens to be homicidal, insane and in lockup on TheAlcatraz InSPACE. Unfortunately, the prison warden gets greedy and decides to capture you as well, forcing you to release Jack and every other prisoner in her block. She agrees to work for you in exchange for info on the people who experimented on her - the same group you're forced to work for.

* Both the first two Hannibal Lecter novels (''RedDragon'' and ''TheSilenceOfTheLambs''). Instead of a pardon, which is out of the question, he wants information about the private lives of his interrogators. Since he is Hannibal Lecter, [[HannibalLecture the end result is the same as if they had just left the door to his cell unlocked]].

* This is the option given to [[RichardGere a captured IRA sniper]] in ''TheJackal''.

May stem from YouAllMeetInACell. SubTrope of RecruitingTheCriminal. Compare CondemnedContestant and WinYourFreedom.

* TruthInTelevision: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_military_unit Penal military units]] were commonly used during the Second World War. Especially dangerous in the Soviet Union, where prisoners of TheGulag are given a [[RedemptionEqualsDeath chance to redeem themselves]] by [[WeHaveReserves being sent out as cannon fodder]]. Many of them chose that as a form of suicide, and others just committed new crimes in hopes of being sent back to prison where their chance for survival was greater.

A prisoner or group of prisoners facing either execution or an extended stay at the Greybar Hilton ([[ClearMyName being guilty of the crime is optional]]) is [[LeonineContract approached by a mysterious figure]] and [[ThePardon offered their freedom, provided they do the government a little favor first]]. The prisoner is very often a highly trained special operator with above average skills who went wrong somewhere. If a group, prone to being a RagtagBunchOfMisfits who cannot rely on each other; their crimes will vary (and quite possibly their guilt as well).

* TruthInTelevision: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_military_unit Penal military units]] were commonly used during the Second World War.
** Especially dangerous in the Soviet Union, where common criminals were given the chance to 'redeem' themselves by entering penal battalions. Many of them just committed new crimes in hopes of being sent back to prison where their chance for survival was greater.

The mission the prisoner is required to undertake will, of course, [[SuicideMission have a very low probability of survival]]. It will also require a high degree of plausible deniability on the part of the government should things go sideways. Very often the government will either have no intention of keeping its end of the bargain should the prisoner succeed, or the prisoner will be locked into doing the government's off the books dirty work until they are killed or escape.