History Main / TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''/''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''Borderlands'']] [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]] there's a variation. The Trans-Galactic Republic [[TechnologyUplift offers its advanced technology]] to the Citadel races in limited form to help fend off the Reapers. However, such aid is distributed either the way the giver wants or not at all--the "hard way" being "Have fun while the Reapers [[CurbStompBattle destroy you]] because you wouldn't take help on our terms." It's not the Trans-Galactic Republic threatening the hard way consequences directly, but they [[MurderByInaction might as well have]]. In the sequel ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'' it's played straight. [[AntiHero Garrus Vakarian]] engages in some JackBauerInterrogationTechnique after noting that as a Spectre-in-all-but-name, he is not bound to the usual set of rules and thus either the suspect can talk or deal with less-pleasant consequences.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian''. Given that the title character is a BountyHunter hunting people who are Wanted: Dead or Alive, this trope is obligatory.
-->'''The Mandalorian:''' I can bring you in warm...or I can bring you in cold.

* ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. ComicBook/BlackWidow is trying to recruit [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] for S.H.I.E.L.D. At one point Banner appears to lose his temper, causing her to draw a pistol in his face.

** Wanda's philosophy is that there are three ways to proceed: the easy way, the hard way, and the very hard way. The easy way is when you know what your Fate is and follow it, because this means that things will push you in the way you were already going. The hard way is when you don't know what your Fate is, as you then have no choice but to try things at random until Fate stops punishing you for going in the wrong directions. The really hard way is when you know your Fate and try to fight it, this results in continuous torment as the universe tries to {{Railroad}} you back onto your Fated path.

* In ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/46667/chasing-rainbows Chasing Rainbows]]'', Rainbow Blitz says this after Applejack's homophobic coworkers beat him up, leading to a big fight which [[{{Gayngst}} broke his spirit]].

-->'''[=SpongeBob:=]''' Now Gary, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Or the medium way. [[ParodiedTrope Or the semi-medium-easy-hard way]]. [[UpToEleven Or the sort of hard with a touch of awkward-easy-difficult-challenging way]].

''WesternAnimation/YinYangYo'': Yin and Yang do this one time
--> Yang: Surrender now or we'll kick your butts!
--> Yin: Or surrender now and we'll kick your butts anyway!

Sometimes, one of the tormentors will even say, "Please, choose the hard way!" to show just how much ''he'' likes it.

* ''Film/ReignOfFire''. An American team of dragonslayers turns up at the protagonist's base with an armoured convoy, asking for shelter and refueling time. He refuses. As the convoy's firepower vastly outweighs his, the American just says quietly, "Don't be a foooool. We can do this easy, or we can do this real easy."

** Xander delivers the line straight in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E9NeverLeaveMe Never Leave Me]]", then worries after that it was too cliche, as he's playing GoodCopBadCop at the time.

* ''Chain Lightning''

* ''Excess Baggage''

* ''Hidden Agenda''

* ''Tooth & Nail''

* Cecilia from ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' will stop at nothing to convince Amanda to come with her. When she initially refuses, Cecilia says that she will “destroy” the protagonist (and that Amanda will come with her afterwards) if Amanda is firm in her decision.

* This "Got Milk?" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zETXjC2uOvU commercial]].

* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Battletech}}'' AU fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11662737/1/Along-Came-A-Spider Along Came a Spider]]'', two Jade Falcon commanders are discussing their options; one has to launch a last desperate futile attack, while the other ... ''negotiates'' with the Federated Commonwealth. Pryde calls it the easy way or the hard way, and offers Malthus the choice of which he wants to do. When Malthus chooses negotiation, and worries that he's a coward for picking the easy way, Pryde clarifies; going against the Clans' ProudWarriorRace nature is the ''hard'' way, and he's glad he doesn't have to do it.

* Cecilia from ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' will stop at nothing to convince Amanda to come with her. When she initially refuses, Cecilia says that she will “destroy” tre protagonist (and that Amanda will come with her afterwards) if Amanda is firm in her decision.

* ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'': When the Butanian dragons refuse to side with Riboflavin against Voluptua, his response is, "[[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100525.html A pity. I guess I'll have to do this the messy way after all. And I must admit... that will be more fun!!!]]" He then starts blasting everything in sight with a {{BFG}}.

** In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E17Enemies Enemies]]", after the requisite [[FoeYay tongue-fest and attempted murder]] Faith finally gets Angelus pinned beneath her.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'', as Judy is investigating the disappearance of Mr. Otterton, she tries to talk to Nick, since he was the last to see Otterton before he went missing. When Nick outright refuses to cooperate, Judy says "Fine. Then we'll have to do this the hard way," and puts a boot on his baby stroller, and tells him that if he doesn't cooperate, she'll arrest him on tax evasion. When he says it's his word against hers, she takes out her pen/voice recorder and plays back his boast of making "200 bucks a day, fluff, 365 days a year since I was 12".

* ''Series/Arrow''. In "Midnight City", a rapist tells his intended victim they can do things the hard way or the harder way. The Black Canary then intervenes to show him the harder way.

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''/''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''Borderlands'']] [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]] there's a variation. The Trans-Galactic Republic [[TechnologyUplift offers its advanced technology]] to the Citadel races in limited form to help fend off the Reapers. However, such aid is distributed either the way the giver wants or not at all--the "hard way" being "Have fun while the Reapers [[CurbStompBattle destroy you]] because you wouldn't take help on our terms." It's not the Trans-Galactic Republic threatening the hard way consequences directly, but they [[MurderByInaction might as well have]]. In the sequel ''[[FanFic/SovereignGFCOrigins Origins]]'' it's played straight. [[AntiHero Garrus Vakarian]] engages in some JackBauerInterrogationTechnique after noting that as a Spectre-in-all-but-name, he is not bound to the usual set of rules and thus either the suspect can talk or deal with less-pleasant consequences.

* ''Anime/DragonBallKai'' episode #26. Vegeta confronts Krillin and Bulma, who have one of the Dragon Balls he wants. He threatens them by saying they they can do this the easy way or the hard way, meaning that they can either give him the Dragon Ball or be killed.

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