History Main / MakeanExampleofThem

* Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean provides the page image.

This is for when the benefit of what you do to someone isn't so much in and of itself as about the message it sends to others, about what could happen to them. As is implied from this, what happened needs to be known in order for it to work. While the most common "example" is death, GenreSavvy punishment forces realize [[DoomedMoralVictor this can backfire]], and will go for the [[FateWorseThanDeath]].

This is for when the benefit of what you do to someone isn't so much in and of itself as about the message it sends to others, about what could happen to them. As is implied from this, what happened needs to be known in order for it to work.

[[quoteright:290:[[PiratesOfTheCaribbean http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pirates_be_warned_7534.jpg]]]]

* PiratesOfTheCaribbean provides the page image.

** In ''TheLionKing'', Scar's VillainSong is punctuated at one point by him backing one of his hyenas into an open fissure in order to assert his dominance over them in his [[EvilPlan master plan]] ([[spoiler: which makes his later death at their hands as a result of his exploitation of them [[HoistByHisOwnPetard all the more ironic]]]]).

-->'''Old Blind Pete (formerly "Eagle-Eyed"):''' A word of advice: If you're going to do business with criminals, don't pick a nickname based on any body part you can't afford to lose. *sigh* I shoulda listened to Appendix Steve when he tried to warn me.

** Hopper, from ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'', uses this tactic often. He gives a speech to other grasshoppers about how if "you let one ant stand up to us, then they ''all'' might stand up" and to drive the point home, even uses a demonstrated analogy involving grains that results in one of his henchmen getting buried; it's twofold in involving him applying it to his own henchmen in the context of a speech made to get them to apply it to the ants. Later on, [[spoiler:he is about to squish the queen so as to "show the ants who is the boss," and also tries to find out whose idea the bird was so as to make an example of him or her.]]
--->'''Hopper:''' Let this be a lesson to ''all'' you ants; ideas can be very dangerous things.
** Lotso, from ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', [[spoiler:has the few who tried to escape Sunnyside cornered near a dumpster so that if they do not agree to go back to Sunnyside, Stretch could throw them in, in front of Chatter Telephone and Twitch.]]
--->'''Lotso:''' This is what happens when you ''dummies'' try to ''think!''

** Lotso, from ''ToyStory3'', [[spoiler:has the few who tried to escape Sunnyside cornered near a dumpster so that if they do not agree to go back to Sunnyside, Stretch could throw them in, in front of Chatter Telephone and Twitch.]]

->'''Old Blind Pete (formerly "Eagle-Eyed"):''' A word of advice: If you're going to do business with criminals, don't pick a nickname based on any body part you can't afford to lose. *sigh* I shoulda listened to Appendix Steve when he tried to warn me.

->'''Old Blind Pete:''' A word of advice: If you're going to do business with criminals, don't pick a nickname based on any body part you can't afford to lose. *sigh* I shoulda listened to Appendix Steve when he tried to warn me.

It is often associated with governments, especially the more tyrannical of them but not exclusively; see also the deterrence argument for use of this in the context of more democratic societies. Also, even forces outside the law, like terrorists, criminal syndicates, and {{Serial Killer}}s, apply this as well.

* In OrderOfTheStick, the Thieves' Guild has a tendency to be very harsh with people who break their rules. Guild members [[ResignationsNotAccepted who try to leave are usually killed]], while guild members who sell secrets receive harsh punishments, like, say, having any body part they're nicknamed after removed.

* In OrderOfTheStick, the Thieves' Guild has a tendency to be very harsh with people who break their rules. Guild members [[ResignationsAreNotAccepted who try to leave are usually killed]], while guild members who sell secrets receive harsh punishments, like, say, having any body part they're nicknamed after removed.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' from the same series, [[spoiler:Zant executes the Zora queen when he shrouds the Lanayru Province in twilight]]. This later sets up a subplot when [[spoiler:her son, Ralis, falls ill on his way to Castle Town to get help]].

It is often associated with governments, especially the more tyrannical of them but not exclusively; see also the deterrence argument for use of this in the context of more democratic societies. Also, even forces outside the law, like terrorists, criminal syndicates and {{Serial Killer}}s, apply this as well.

* ''TotalRecall'' seems to feature this on Cohaagen's part, although being Cohaagen, it is likely there is some spite added in there as well.

* In ''TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', [[spoiler:Ganondorf, as a warning to those who would oppose him, [[MoralEventHorizon tries to feed all the Gorons to a dragon in the fire temple]].]]

* In Voltaire's ''{{Candide}}'', the title character witnesses the execution of an admiral which is explained to him with the famous line: "In this country they find it necessary to kill an admiral from time to time, to encourage the others (''pour encourager les autres'')." The scene is based on the {{Real Life}} execution of the British Admiral Byng, whom Voltaire had met, for alleged cowardice in battle.

* Visser Three uses this tactic, or *thinks* he is, on the runaway Hork-Bajir in ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'' "The Change". Only, the real Hork-Bajir are somewhere else, and the two 'dead' ones and the wolves 'eating' them are morphed Animorphs. He intends to do this with Aftran in "The Sickness", but Cassie rescues her before it can happen.

** In ''TwilightPrincess'' from the same series, [[spoiler:Zant executes the Zora queen when he shrouds the Lanayru Province in twilight]]. This later sets up a subplot when [[spoiler:her son, Ralis, falls ill on his way to Castle Town to get help]].

** Hopper, from ''ABugsLife'', uses this tactic often. He gives a speech to other grasshoppers about how if "you let one ant stand up to us, then they ''all'' might stand up" and to drive the point home, even uses a demonstrated analogy involving grains that results in one of his henchmen getting buried; it's twofold in involving him applying it to his own henchmen in the context of a speech made to get them to apply it to the ants. Later on, [[spoiler:he is about to squish the queen so as to "show the ants who is the boss," and also tries to find out whose idea the bird was so as to make an example of him or her.]]

* In ''StarWars'' IV, Tarkin makes an example of the entire planet of Alderaan, after first rejecting Dantooine (where he supposed the Rebel base was) for being "too remote."

It is often associated with governments, especially the more tyrannical of them but not exclusively; see also the deterrence argument for use of this in the context of more democratic societies. Also, even forces outside the law, like terrorists and {{Serial Killer}}s, apply this as well.