History Main / UnprocessedResignation

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': Has a straight example and a minor one during the same time frame. The season 7 finale, "Exit Strategy" was written as a series finale just in case the show wasn't renewed. Danny reveals to his wife/co-lab worker Lindsay that he has taken and passed the Sergeant's exam. Also, Mac confides in Jo (after a near-death experience with a perp) that he is unsure how long he can continue doing his job and wonders if he's done his "share of good." In the season 8 premiere, "Indelible," it is revealed that Mac has retired from the NYPD Crime Lab to work at Piper Laboratories trying to develop new ways of extracting DNA to help identify the remains of over 1000 victims of 9/11, including his wife, Claire. He is also assisting with the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance project in honor of the first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty that day. The episode ends with the dedication of the Wall, during which Mac gives a speech.[[note]][[ActorAllusion Gary Sinise had helped raise funds for the Wall of Remembrance and also spoke at the actual dedication]].[[/note]] In the following episode, "Keep It Real", Mac has returned to the Crime Lab, saying that he's talked to Chief Sinclair and that his "retirement papers have been pulled." Sinclair had been dragging his feet in looking for his replacement during the 4 months Taylor was absent; Jo tells Mac she never believed he was gone because he hadn't used all of his comp time; no one has removed the boxes of his belongings from his office. Two episodes later, Danny voluntarily demotes himself back to Detective and returns to the Lab as well, after having been betrayed by a group of rookie officers he was mentoring.

* ''Series/{{Monk}}'' "Mr. Monk Visits A Farm", thinking he's not cut out to be a homicide investigator, Randy resigns from the force to work on his late uncle's farm. But after a month, and suspecting his uncle was murdered, he invites Monk out to investigate. After Monk solves the case of his uncle's alleged suicide and the farmhand convinces Monk to feed Randy the solution, Randy returns to San Francisco with renewed confidence, ready to talk to the police chief to ask for his badge back. But Stottlemeyer reveals he never processed Randy's resignation, claiming Randy was just out sick with meningitis.

* ''ComicBook/XWingSeries'': In ''The Krytos Trap'' by Michael A. Stackpole, the New Republic refuses to authorize a military operation to capture the [[{{Panacea}} bacta]]-producing planet Thyferra from [[BigBad Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard]], believing Warlord Zsinj a greater threat. Rogue Squadron resigns en masse to conduct their own private war against Isard, which takes up book four, ''The Bacta War'' (also by Stackpole). Upon returning to Coruscant in ''Wraith Squadron'' by Aaron Allston, the Rogues find out their resignations were "accidentally" misfiled and the New Republic has retroactively declared the whole endeavor an official operation.

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* Basically defied in the ''Series/StargateSG1'' "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3962297/1/A-Pretense-of-Romance-Mature-Version A Pretense of Romance]]", which sees Sam Carter resign from the Air Force when she refused to follow the orders of General Bauer ("[[Recap/StargateSG1S4E15ChainReaction Chain Reaction]]"); even after Bauer resigns and General Hammond is reinstated, Sam can't simply re-enlist as certain other parties argue that she may refuse to accept other orders in future, and since nobody else was willing to perform the naquadah experiment in Sam's place nobody can definitively say she did the right thing (in canon the naquadah-enhanced warhead Bauer wanted to test destroyed an entire planet and nearly destroyed the SGC). The story begins months after Sam's resignation when she is only working at the SGC in a civilian capacity and is no longer part of SG-1, [[spoiler:but the fic concludes with Hammond having pulled sufficient strings to get Sam back on SG-1 even if she's officially just a civilian rather than back in the Air Force).

May possibly overlap with FakeDefector, but this is highly unlikely because if the resignation was a ruse to flush out a mole, the resigning officer or agent understands that they can return to duty once the ruse has run its course.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fics by Creator/AAPessimal, set-in-his-ways veteran SadistTeacher, Mr Mericet, throws in his resignation in protest at the Guild School deciding to go co-educational and taking in mere "girls" as pupils for the first time. Mericet is also enraged at a seismic shift in Assassins' Guild philosophy that now bans a teacher from killing a pupil in the Final Exam. He writes his resignation in protest at this namby-pamby liberalism. Lord Downey sighs and hides it underneath everything else in the in-tray until Mericet is talked out of it by one of the new women teachers the Assassins have taken on ([[NightmareFuel he's actually developed romantic feelings for her.]])
* In the last chapter of the ''WesternAnimation/BenTen''[=/=]''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}'' crossover fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6331445/1/Hanging-Ten Hanging Ten]], Ben turns in his letter of resignation (along with giving Baumer a piece of his mind) after the Forever Knights try to use his fellow groms as bait against him, which also results in [[CrossoverShip Lo]] dumping him for keeping secrets from her. After the two patch things up and Ben changes his mind, Mr. Ridgemont is able to re-hire him by claiming to be unable to read the letter of resignation due to poor penmanship.

[[folder: Film - Live Action ]]

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* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': Has a straight example and a minor one during the same time frame. The season 7 finale, "Exit Strategy" was written as a series finale just in case the show wasn't renewed. Danny reveals to his wife/co-lab worker Lindsay that he has taken and passed the Sergeant's exam. Also, Mac confides in Jo (after a near-death experience with a perp) that he is unsure how long he can continue doing his job and wonders if he's done his "share of good." In the season 8 premiere, "Indelible," it is revealed that Mac has retired from the NYPD Crime Lab to work at Piper Laboratories trying to develop new ways of extracting DNA to help identify the remains of over 1000 victims of 9/11, including his wife, Claire. He is also assisting with the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance project in honor of the first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty that day. The episode ends with the dedication of the Wall, during which Mac gives a speech.[[note]][[ActorAllusion Gary Sinise had helped raise funds for the Wall of Remembrance and also spoke at the actual dedication.]][[/note]] In the following episode, "Keep It Real," Mac has returned to the Crime Lab, saying that he's talked to Chief Sinclair and that his "retirement papers have been pulled." Sinclair had been dragging his feet in looking for his replacement during the 4 months Taylor was absent; Jo tells Mac she never believed he was gone because he hadn't used all of his comp time; no one has removed the boxes of his belongings from his office. Two episodes later, Danny voluntarily demotes himself back to Detective and returns to the Lab as well, after having been betrayed by a group of rookie officers he was mentoring.
* ''Series/GomerPyleUSMC'': The series finale, "Goodbye Camp Henderson, Hello Sergeant Carter," has a form of this, where Gomer puts in his papers to transfer to another base, Camp Lejune, after Sgt. Carter yells at him for the latest time. [[spoiler: Gomer had painted Carter's office as a well-intentioned present, but Carter reminds him that he was not asked to do it and instead it did nothing but "stink up the place." This instance of a verbal reprimand was the apparent tipping point.]] After venting his frustrations to Cpl. Slater, he is reminded that Gomer has done many good things and earned many commendations ([[ClipShow told via flashback]]), and most importantly been there for Carter. Carter, who was initially relieved to finally be rid of Gomer, is remorseful and secretly cancels the transfer.

* Played with in ''Series/MajorDad'': [=Major John McGillis=] puts in his retirement paperwork. But he doesn't like retirement and is desperate to get back into the Marine Corps. It turns out he made a typo on his retirement paperwork so his retirement was never processed.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "Film/YouOughtToBeInPictures", WesternAnimation/PorkyPig asks producer Leon Schlesinger to let him out of his cartoon contract so he can break into live-action features. Leon agrees and seemingly tears up Porky's contract and throws it away; but as Porky leaves, Leon turns to the camera and says "He'll be back." Sure enough, after getting into pictures doesn't pan out, Porky returns and begs for his job back. Leon then tells him he never tore up the contract and he can get back to work.

[[folder: Real Life ]]

!Examples

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* ''Film/StarshipTroopers'': While still in boot camp, Johnny Rico resigns from the Mobile Infantry. As he's leaving the camp, the Arachnids drop an asteroid on Buenos Aires. Johnny tries to cancel his resignation, but the commanding officer says that Johnny has already signed the form and it wouldn't be legal. Johnny tells him that his entire family was in Buenos Aires when it was destroyed. Drill Sergeant Zim (with the commanding officer's implicit consent) says that Rico's signature on the resignation papers doesn't look like his and tears up the papers, allowing Johnny to stay in boot camp.
* ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService'': After being taken off the hunt for Ernst Blofeld, Film/JamesBond asks Miss Moneypenny to submit his letter of resignation from the British Secret Service to M, his boss. M later calmly tells Bond that his request is granted, which surprises him--he thought M would be angry. He then checks the paperwork and finds out that Moneypenny submitted a request for two weeks' leave instead, which was why M was so unconcerned.

* ''Series/LukeCage2016'': In the sixth episode of season 2, Misty Knight decides to turn in her badge and gun, deciding that so long as she plays by the NYPD rules she won't accomplish anything, while if she goes outside the box, she'll go off the deep end become a dirty cop like Scarfe had been. One episode later, Ridenhour is murdered along with Comanche after Shades catches the two meeting together. In the episode after that, while in Ridenhour's office, Misty finds her badge and gun still in his desk drawer. Nandi tells Misty that Ridenhour never submitted the resignation paperwork and there was an office betting pool that it would only be a matter of time before Misty came crawling back.
* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': Has a straight example and a minor one during the same time frame. The season 7 finale, "Exit Strategy" was written as a series finale just in case the show wasn't renewed. Danny reveals to his wife/co-lab worker Lindsay that he has taken and passed the Sergeant's exam. Also, Mac confides in Jo (after a near-death experience with a perp) that he is unsure how long he can continue doing his job and wonders if he's done his "share of good." In the season 8 premiere, "Indelible," it is revealed that Mac has retired from the NYPD Crime Lab to work at Piper Laboratories trying to develop new ways of extracting DNA to help identify the remains of over 1000 victims of 9/11, including his wife, Claire. He is also assisting with the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance project in honor of the first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty that day. The episode ends with the dedication of the Wall, during which Mac gives a speech.[[note]][[ActorAllusion Gary Sinise had helped raise funds for the Wall of Remembrance and also spoke at the actual dedication.]][[/note]] In the following episode, "Keep It Real," Mac has returned to the Crime Lab, saying that he's talked to Chief Sinclair and that his "retirement papers have been pulled." Sinclair had been dragging his feet in looking for his replacement during the 4 months Taylor was absent; Jo tells Mac she never believed he was gone because he hadn't used all of his comp time; no one has removed the boxes of his belongings from his office. Two episodes later, Danny voluntarily demotes himself back to Detective and returns to the Lab as well, after having been betrayed by a group of rookie officers he was mentoring.

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': Has a straight example and a minor one during the same time frame. The season 7 finale, "Exit Strategy" was written as a series finale just in case the show wasn't renewed. Danny reveals to his wife/co-lab worker Lindsay that he has taken and passed the Sergeant's exam. Also, Mac confides in Jo (after a near-death experience with a perp) that he is unsure how long he can continue doing his job and wonders if he's done his "share of good." In the season 8 premiere, "Indelible," it is revealed that Mac has retired from the NYPD Crime Lab to work at Piper Laboratories trying to develop new ways of extracting DNA to help identify the remains of over 1000 victims of 9/11, including his wife, Claire. He is also assisting with the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance project in honor of the first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty that day. The episode ends with the dedication of the Wall. In the following episode, "Keep It Real," Mac has returned to the Crime Lab, saying that he's talked to Chief Sinclair and that his "retirement papers have been pulled." Sinclair had been dragging his feet in looking for his replacement during the 4 months Taylor was absent; Jo tells Mac she never believed he was gone because he hadn't used all of his comp time; no one has removed the boxes of his belongings from his office. Two episodes later, Danny voluntarily demotes himself back to Detective and returns to the Lab as well, after having been betrayed by a group of rookie officers he was mentoring.

* In the last chapter of the ''Ben 10''[=/=]''Stoked'' crossover fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6331445/1/Hanging-Ten Hanging Ten]], Ben turns in his letter of resignation (along with giving Baumer a piece of his mind) after the Forever Knights try to use his fellow groms as bait against him, which also results in [[CrossoverShip Lo]] dumping him for keeping secrets from her. After the two patch things up and Ben changes his mind, Mr. Ridgemont is able to re-hire him by claiming to be unable to read the letter of resignation due to poor penmanship.

* ''Film/StarshipTroopers'': While still in boot camp, Johnny Rico resigns from the Mobile Infantry. As he's leaving the camp, the Arachnids drop an asteroid on Buenos Aires. Johnny tries to cancel his resignation, but the commanding officer says that Johhny has already signed the form and it wouldn't be legal. Johnny tells him that his entire family was in Buenos Aires when it was destroyed. Drill Sergeant Zim (with the commanding officer's implicit consent) says that Rico's signature on the resignation papers doesn't look like his and tears up the papers, allowing Johnny to stay in boot camp.

A military officer, or a police officer, or an intelligence agent, resigns their commission, leaves, goes deal with the thing that prompted them to resign. They resolve that situation, then they go to their former superior to ask to be allowed to return to duty. But that's unnecessary because the superior just didn't get around to sending the resignation letter to the appropriate channels. Maybe the letter never even left the superior's desk.

* Monica O'Leary, who was dismissed from Canter Fitzgerald the day before [=9/11=], learnt that her dismissal wasn't processed due to Human Resources being wiped out during the attack.

* ''Series/{{JAG}}'' Season 3: Mac leaves Navy JAG to practice law at a civilian law firm. But when she decides to return to JAG (in "People v. Rabb"), it turns out Admiral Chegwidden never processed her resignation. Mac can return to duty as if nothing really happened, she just used up her leave time. The trope is played with or subverted in Season 9 when Rabb is shocked to find that Chegwidden did process his resignation quite promptly and now Rabb must now go do something other than being a lawyer in the Navy.

* Pops up several times in the StarTrek franchise

* ''Series/{{Monk}}'' "Mr. Monk Visits A Farm" Thinking he's not cut out to be a homicide investigator, Lt. Disher resigns from the San Francisco Police Department to work on the farm he inherited. But after Monk solves the case of his uncle's alleged suicide and a farmhand convinces Monk to feed Disher the solution, Disher returns to San Francisco with renewed confidence, ready to talk to the police chief to ask for his badge back. But Captain Stottlemeyer never processed Disher's resignation, claims the lieutenant was just out sick with meningitis.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Afterimage," Ensign Ezri Dax is having trouble dealing with the new emotions that she has post-joining. Dax resigns from Starfleet, but Captain Sisko never files the paperwork because he knows that she just needs time to adjust.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': In "Sub Rosa", Beverly falls in love with a "ghost" and resigns her commission. Picard saw that she was behaving strangely and chose to ignore the resignation while he investigated.

* ''Series/StargateSG1'': In "Forever in a Day", Daniel resigns from the [=SGC=] after his wife Sha're's death. This is partly because finding her was his purpose in being there in the first place, and partly because he doesn't want to deal with [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Teal'c]], who killed her to save Daniel. Later in the episode when he wants to come back, General Hammond claims to have forgotten to process his resignation anyway.

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A military officer, or a police officer, or an intelligence agent, resigns their commission, leaves, goes deal with the thing that prompted them to resign. They resolve that situation, then they go to their former superior to ask to be allowed to return to duty. But that's unnecessary, because the superior just didn't get around to sending the resignation letter to the appropriate channels. Maybe the letter never even left the superior's desk.

May possibly overlap with FakeDefector, but this is highly unlikely, because if the resignation was a ruse to flush out a mole, the resigning officer or agent understands that they can return to duty once the ruse has run its course.

* ''Series/{{JAG}}'' Season 3: Mac leaves Navy JAG to practice law at a civilian law firm. But when she decides to return to JAG (in "People v. Rabb"), it turns out Admiral Chegwidden never processed her resignation. Mac can return to duty as if nothing really happened, she just used up her leave time. The trope is played with or subverted in Season 9, when Rabb is shocked to find that Chegwidden did process his resignation quite promptly and now Rabb must now go do something other than be a lawyer in the Navy.

* ''Series/{{Monk}}'' "Mr. Monk Visits A Farm" Thinking he's not cut out to be a homicide investigator, Lt. Disher resigns from the San Francisco Police Department to work on the farm he inherited. But after Monk solves the case of his uncle's alleged suicide and a farm hand convinces Monk to feed Disher the solution, Disher returns to San Francisco with renewed confidence, ready to talk to the police chief to ask for his badge back. But Captain Stottlemeyer never processed Disher's resignation, claims the lieutenant was just out sick with meningitis.

[[AC:FanFiction]]
* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fics by Creator/AAPessimal, set-in-his-ways veteran SadistTeacher, Mr Mericet, throws in his resignation in protest at the Guild School deciding to go co-educational and taking in mere "girls" as pupils for the first time. Mericet is also enraged at a seismic shift in Assassins' Guild philosophy that now bans a teacher from killing a pupil in the Final Exam. He writes his resignation in protest at this namby-pamby liberalism. Lord Downey sighs and hides it underneath everything else in the in-tray, until Mericet is talked out of it by one of the new women teachers the Assassins have taken on ([[NightmareFuel he's actually developed romantic feelings for her.]])
* In the last chapter of the ''Ben 10''[=/=]''Stoked'' crossover fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6331445/1/Hanging-Ten Hanging Ten]], Ben turns in his letter of resignation (along with giving Baumer a piece of his mind) after the Forever Knights try to use his fellow groms as bait against him, which also results in [[CrossoverShip Lo]] dumoing him for keeping secrets from her. After the two patch things up and Ben changes his mind, Mr. Ridgemont is able to re-hire him by claiming to be unable to read letter of resignation due to poor penmanship.