History Main / RestrainedRevenge

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. Can be a way to deliberately invoke a lighter shade of RedemptionEqualsAffliction. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of VillainsDyingGrace.

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of VillainsDyingGrace.

* In ''PowerRangersSPD'' [[spoiler:Commander Cruger has defeated Emperor Gruumm, the one who destroyed his homeworld and left him and his wife the last of their kind, as well as caused a massive amount of pain and suffering to the Earth and the universe, and has him at his mercy. Gruumm tells him to StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred. Cruger swings...and slices off Gruumm's horn (Cruger cut off the other one a long time ago) and arrests him.]]

** The reason the Fey do this is because as they are virtually immortal (time is stated not to matter to them) they tend to take a long time to make up their minds about what the punishment shall be and they hate finding out that someone else killed off their target in the meantime.

** The reason the Fey do this is because as they are immortal they tend to take a long time to make up their minds about what the punishment shall be and they hate finding out that someone else killed off their target in the meantime.

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* In ''TheTwoGentlemenOfVerona'', Valentine catches his best-friend-turned-villain Proteus trying to rape his girlfriend. He decides that Proteus' punishment will be nothing more than the embarrassment of hearing the story of his crimes related to his friends and to the Duke.

* In the ''LawAndOrderUK'' episode "Immune", after being asked to [[spoiler:lie (pretending that Jake Thorne must have misunderstood him) in court]], Casey gets even with Thorne by using his testimony to call him stupid (invoking HanlonsRazor to explain why he was misunderstood).

* In ''LiveActionTelevision/PowerRangersSPD'' [[spoiler:Commander Cruger has defeated Emperor Gruumm, the one who destroyed his homeworld and left him and his wife the last of their kind, as well as caused a massive amount of pain and suffering to the Earth and the universe, and has him at his mercy. Gruumm tells him to StrikeMeDownWithAllYourHatred. Cruger swings...and slices off Gruumm's horn (Cruger cut off the other one a long time ago) and arrests him.]]

* In an episode of ''GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', Bateau is tasked with tracking a soldier he'd encountered in the past who became a serial killer with the help of a couple of [[{{Eagleland}} CIA agents]]. ([[spoiler:They're hoping he'll snap and kill him to cover up the war crimes he commited on their behalf]]). When he has him cornered, he seems ready to kill him, but instead opts to [[CruelMercy empty his pistol into the wall and arrest him]].

If they swore to do something specific, they might invoke ExactWords to take a lighter revenge (for example, they might "take their life" by stealing their food, or humiliate them to destroy their social life).

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. If this is used for an actual punishment rather than someone's personal grievance then it's an {{Unishment}}. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of VillainsDyingGrace.

* In ''{{Scrubs}}'' after J.D. [[spoiler:coaxes Elliot away from her fiance...only to realise that he ''doesn't'' want her]]. After spending the whole season being mad at him, Elliot gets her revenge by giving him a note that he assumes will tell his current LoveInterest (and Elliot's mentor), Dr. Molly Clock, that she's forgiven him and she doesn't need to feel guilty about sleeping with him. [[spoiler:One mad dash later, he gives it to Clock, who reads it and says it's addressed to J.D.; "Now we're even."]]
* ''TheOffice'': Michael initially threatens [[TheStarscream Dwight]] with losing his job after he finds out Dwight lied about his dentist appointment, and was actually meeting with Michael's superior Jan to try to convince her to give him the regional manager position. He forgives him after Dwight [[TheGrovel breaks down into pleas for mercy]], and the two even watch a movie together, but he still punishes him by having him stand on a box the next day wearing a sign that says "Liar".

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* One arc of ''ComicStrip/FunkyWinkerbean'' had Wally Winkerbean return to Afghanistan to do aid work after escaping from mercenaries who shot down his helicopter there in a previous arc. While there, he met one of said mercs, Khan, who was now working as a native guide. After Khan saved Funky's life after he stepped on a Bouncing Betty, Funky thanked him, then decked him for shooting down his chopper.

* In an episode of ''GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', Bateau is tasked with tracking an old war buddy who's become a serial killer with the help of a couple of [[{{Eagleland}} CIA agents]] ([[spoiler:who are hoping he'll snap and kill him to cover up the war crimes he commited on their behalf]]). When he has him cornered, he seems ready to kill him, but instead opts to [[CruelMercy empty his pistol into the wall and arrest him]].

* In ''DanVs the Wolfman,'' Dan hunts down the eponymous wolfman responsible for scratching his car. When Dan finally finds him, his retribution consists entirely of ''keying the wolfman's car'' - and Dan is appalled that Chris would suggest he actually ''kill'' the wolfman for being a dangerous threat to society. For the sake of context, note that Dan once destroyed ''Canada'' because he slipped on some maple syrup. DisproportionateRetribution is practically the man's middle name.

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. If this is used for an actual punishment rather than someone's personal grievance then it's an {{Unishment}}. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of Villain'sDyingGrace.

* In ''{{DMFA}}'', Jyrass is marked for Fey vengeance. Dan recounts his own experience, Creatures leave you alone, terrified of what the Fey in question will do to ''them'' if they interfere. The vengeance imposed upon Dan? All of his feathers fall out if he eats shellfish. What eventually happens to Jyrass? He's made Bachelor Of The Year. He ''hates'' the publicity.

This trope is when someone sates their need for revenge by taking a much pettier (or at least non-harmful) revenge on the subject before forgiving them. Typically in the form of a prank or superficial attack. The reasons for this can vary; the hero might have [[WhatTheHellHero done something wrong]] (or [[KickTheWrongDog attacked someone innocent by mistake]], or taken down [[AvengingTheVillain someone who deserved it]]) and actually been forgiven, or they might have been framed or made TheScapegoat, in which case it's likely to satisfy some sort of oath. Other times they may not have been planning a particularly serious revenge to begin with, but the audience or the victim assumes they are (for roughly the same effect) or it might be clear that the recipient deserves it (in which case its shows that they've already been forgiven).

* In one episode of ''{{Trigun}}'', Vash agrees to help a wealthy town mayor who is being threatened by a bandit leader...until he finds out [[spoiler: the mayor murdered the bandit's peaceful family and took their land to build his town]], at which point he stands aside when they confront each other. With the mayor's beautiful daughter pleading for her father's life, the bandit ends up shooting him in the leg instead of the killing he had originally planned on.

* In an episode of ''GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' Bateau is tasked with tracking an old war buddy who's become a serial killer with the help of a couple of [[{{Eagleland}} CIA agents]] ([[spoiler: Who are hoping he'll snap and kill him to cover up the war crimes he commited on their behalf]]). When he has him cornered he seems ready to kill him, but instead opts to [[CruelMercy empty his pistol into the wall and arrest him]].

* In the ''LawAndOrderUK'' episode "Immune", after being asked to [[spoiler: lie (pretending that Jake Thorne must have misunderstood him) in court]], Casey gets even with Thorne by using his testimony to call him stupid (invoking HanlonsRazor to explain why he was misunderstood).
* In ''{{Scrubs}}'' after J.D. [[spoiler: coaxes Elliot away from her fiance...only to realise that he ''doesn't'' want her]]. After spending the whole season being mad at him, Elliot gets her revenge by giving him a note that he assumes will tell his current LoveInterest (and Elliot's mentor), Dr. Molly Clock, that she's forgiven him and she doesn't need to feel guilty about sleeping with him [[spoiler: one mad dash later he gives it to Clock, who reads it and says it's addressed to J.D.; "Now we're even."]]

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. If this is used for an actual punishment rather than someone's personal grievance then it's an {{Unishment}}. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of VillainsDyingGrace.

* In an episode of ''GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' Bateau is tasked with tracking an old war buddy who's become a serial killer with the help of a couple of [[{{Eagleland}} CIA agents]] ([[spoiler: Who are hoping he'll snap and kill him to cover up the war crimes he commited on their behalf]]). When he has him cornered he seems ready to kill him, but instead opts to [[VillainsDyingGrace empty his pistol into the wall and arrest him]].

SuperTrope to MyFistForgivesYou (where the "revenge" in question is a physical blow) and the ParanoiaGambit (where the transgressor's own reaction to the threat of revenge ''is'' the revenge). Subtrope of EasilyForgiven. If this is used for an actual punishment rather than someone's personal grievance then it's an {{Unishment}}. Contrast CycleOfRevenge and DisproportionateRetribution (which it may also be used to {{subvert|edTrope}}). If they don't want to admit it, they may claim it's a case of MyRevengeIsMercy.

* In an episode of ''GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' Bateau is tasked with tracking an old war buddy who's become a serial killer with the help of a couple of [[{{Eagleland}} CIA agents]] ([[spoiler: Who are hoping he'll snap and kill him to cover up the war crimes he commited on their behalf]]). When he has him cornered he seems ready to kill him, but instead opts to [[MyRevengeIsMercy empty his pistol into the wall and arrest him]].

* In ''SoulEater'', after defeating [[TheWoobie Chrona]], Maka delivers a mild version of the [[HyperspaceMallet Maka Chop]] by lightly tapping him/her on the head with a book.

* In ''{{Scrubs}}'' after J.D. [[spoiler: coaxes Elliot away from her fiance...only to realise that he ''doesn't'' want her]]. After spending the whole season being mad at him, Elliot gets her revenge by giving him a note that he assumes will tell his current LoveInterest (and Elliot's mentor), Dr. Molly Clock, that she's forgiven him and she doesn't need to feel guilty about sleeping with him [[spoiler: one mad dash later he gives it to Clock, who reads it and says it's addressed to J.D.; "Now we're even."]]

* Vinnie, a recurring character in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', repeatedly suffers misfortune at the Gargoyles hands and finally seems to break under the pressure, muttering constantly that he's going to take his revenge. He has a '''[[{{BFG}} huge]]''' custom gun made, which [[ICallHerVera he names "Mr. Carter"]] and tracks down Goliath and threatens him with it. However, Mr. Carter fires... cream pies. After the pie in the face, Vinnie walks off humming, apparently satisfied with his revenge.