History Main / VillainousDemotivator

May come back to haunt him as [[IronicEcho an explanation]] why a minion won't GiveMeASword. Often results in [[{{ptitleskikbgy4psco}} Screw This, I'm Outta Here.]]

When a minion or even their NumberTwo, TheDragon, [[YouCantThwartStageOne performs well]] they won't so much praise their effort or reward their good results as warn them "[[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness do not outlive your usefulness]]". Kind of hard to go to work with a smile with ''[[VillainOverride that]]'' [[CyanidePill hanging over your head]].

May come back to haunt him as an explanation why a minion won't GiveMeASword. Often results in [[{{ptitleskikbgy4psco}} Screw This, I'm Outta Here.]]

May come back to haunt him as an explanation why a minion won't GiveMeASword. Often results in [[{{ptitleskikbgy4psco}} Screw this, I'm Outta Here.]]

** In the ExpandedUniverse, we find out exactly ''what'' The Emperor does to people who displease him, and it's no idle threat. He had [[TheCallistaTrilogy Bevel Lemelisk]], one of the original designers of the Death Star, killed horribly, resurrected in a clone body, and killed 6 more times. Horribly as in:

* Beautifully subverted in the third StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel, ''[[TheThrawnTrilogy TheLastCommand]]''. Grand Admiral Thrawn confronts the officer who failed to stop Luke Skywalker from escaping, and the poor sap expects a Vader-style execution like the ones quoted above. Indeed, an officer who'd failed in the same thing and then tried to pass the blame had been killed, so everyone believes this one is out of luck. Instead, Thrawn ''promotes'' him, praising his creative attempt even though it failed.

** You seem to be imagining things. Disappear? They never existed? Can you prove they existed? No? I think you need a trip to Room101

** What geets worse is that this is how Azula treats people she LIKES.

<<|EvilTropes|>>

* Late in ''{{Iji}}'', high ranking aliens are threatening their men into killing (or better, capturing) the titular "[[OneManArmy human anomaly]]", with lines such as:

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', [[MagnificentBastard Azula]] has this problem with keeping Ty Lee and Mai loyal. She initially pressures Ty Lee into leaving the circus by setting loose all the animals and ''setting her trapeze net on fire!'' Later on, when Mai betrays her out of love for Zuko, it's explicitly because Mai loves Zuko more than she fears her. Of course, at this point Ty Lee ''also'' betrays her upon seeing Azula [[strike: threaten Mai with lifelong imprisonment]] winding up to put a bolt of lightening into Mai for it. Is it any surprise Azula eventually [[spoiler: has a VillainousBreakdown?]]

* [[{{Warhammer 40000}} Comsissars]] have a very Voltairian way of motivating their men. But surprisingly, in gameplay terms it tends to work. And there's never any shortage of troops, since one thing the Imperium has in abundance is manpower.

May come back to haunt him as an explanation why a minion won't GiveMeASword.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/beatings-will-continue.jpg

** In the Expanded Universe, we find out exactly ''what'' The Emperor does to people who displease him, and it's no idle threat. He had Bevel Lemelisk, the original designer of the Death Star killed horribly, resurrected in a clone body, and killed 6 more times. Horribly as in:

* Beautifully subverted in the first ''StarWars'' ExtendedUniverse novel, ''Heir to the Empire''. Grand Admiral Thrawn confronts the officer who failed to stop a freighter from escaping, and the poor sap expects a Vader-style execution like the ones quoted above. Instead, Thrawn ''promotes'' him, praising his creative attempt even though it failed.

* Pretty much every single officer in the mirror universe of StarTrek.

*** Lowered inch by inch into a vat of molten copper ("It was what the smelter was making that day")

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Azula has this problem with keeping Ty Lee and Mai loyal. She initially pressures Ty Lee into leaving the circus by setting loose all the animals and ''setting her trapeze net on fire!'' Later on, when Mai betrays her out of love for Zuko, it's explicitly because Mai loves Zuko more than she fears her. Of course, at this point Ty Lee ''also'' betrays her upon seeing Azula [[strike: threaten Mai with lifelong imprisonment]] winding up to put a bolt of lightening into Mai for it. Is it any surprise Azula eventually [[spoiler: has a VillainousBreakdown?]]

*** Among others

-->'''Darth Vader:'''[[ILied I have altered the terms of the deal.]] Pray I do not alter them further.

-->'''Darth Vader:''' "I hope so Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."
** Remember: we're talking about someone who has been known to crush windpipes for minor irritation.
*** In the Expanded Universe, we find out exactly ''what'' The Emperor does to people who displease him, and it's no idle threat. He had Bevel Lemelisk, the original designer of the Death Star killed, resurrected in a clone body, and killed 6 more times.

*** In the Expanded Universe, we find out exactly ''what'' The Emperor does to people who displease him, and it's no idle threat. He had Bevel Lemelisk, the designer of the Death Star (before the convoluted retcons involving the Death Star's creation, mind you) killed, resurrected in a clone body, and killed 6 more times.

* In [[1984]], anyone who spoke out against or betrayed The Party and Big Brother had a tendency to disappear without a trace, with all records that they ever existed erased.

*** In the Expanded Universe, we find out exactly ''what'' The Emperor does to people who displease him, and it's no ideal threat. He had Bevel Lemelisk, the designer of the Death Star (before the convoluted retcons involving the Death Star's creation, mind you) killed, resurrected in a clone body, and killed 6 more times.

The Villainous Demotivator can be any threat that a BigBad or TheDragon makes towards a lower ranking minion that they will be hurt or killed if they fail to perform their job. Assuming their skills will always be needed in his plots (and thus he would need to take the trouble of finding a replacement if he kills the [[EvilMinions Evil Minion]]), this makes sense as a negative motivational tool, and a nice little KickTheDog that can fuel a HelpFaceTurn or MookFaceTurn. Other instances of this trope can happen without the villain ever meaning to demotivate their minions. He might [[EvenEvilHasStandards do something so vile it reminds them of their ethics]], or [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes admit his plan will kill one of their loved ones.]]

* Mr. Teatime in the TerryPratchett novel ''{{Hogfather}}''. Even the hardened criminals are afraid of him and think he's gone too far.

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