History Main / VillainousDemotivator

Another demotivator is the BigBad's reaction when their minion(s) lose to the hero. Assuming they don't shoot the fellow then and there (which is, again, not exactly good for morale no matter ''what'' [[MachiavelliWasWrong Machiavelli said]]) they will likely yell ''"YouHaveFailedMe!"'' and use their AgonyBeam on the poor sap. After the poor minion is done screaming his guts out (hopefully not literally) their boss will say ''"Do not fail me again! For I shall not show you such mercy a second time."'' Whether they actually follow through depends on how dark the show is. In animation, even TeamRocket or the QuirkyMinibossSquad will get off with minimal verbal abuse, but others... not so much.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "And Maggie Makes Three", Burns puts a ''literal'' [[FauxtivationalPoster Villainous Demotivator]] ("Don't Forget, You're Here Forever") in front of Homer's workstation after he's forced to go back to working at the power plant. Homer selectively covers it with pictures of Maggie until [[SignsOfDisrepair what's left is "Do_i_t For___ Her"]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "And Maggie Makes Three", Burns puts a ''literal'' VillainousDemotivator ("Don't Forget, You're Here Forever") in front of Homer's workstation after he's forced to go back to working at the power plant. Homer selectively covers it with pictures of Maggie until [[SignsOfDisrepair what's left is "Do_i_t For___ Her"]].

** Harley Quinn picks up the habit in ''VideoGame/BatmanGothamKnight''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Burns puts a ''literal'' VillainousDemotivator ("Don't Forget, You're Here Forever") in front of Homer's workstation. Homer selectively covers it with pictures of Maggie until what's left is "Do_i_t For___ Her".

* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' explores this trope in "The Gift" in which Lord Hater becomes absolutely frustrated with the stupidity of the Watchdogs. Meanwhile, Wander gives each Watchdog a gift (It's the equivalent of Christmas or the holiday season) and for the first time ever, they experience what it's like to be happy. Their competence skyyrockets and they create an organized team to "Rescue " Hater (Who had been trying to avoid getting a gift from Wander and Sylvia.). After they secure Hater, he congratulates them on a job well done. The Watchdogs respond by thanking him for all the gifts he bought them, causing him to realize that Wander signed Hater's name to the gift tags instead of his own. This trope is really driven home in "The Gift 2: The Giftening" as well because in it we learn that the watchdogs have never been happy and that their boss quite literally treats happiness like a disease as well as frequently zaps anything that angers him with loads of green lightning.

* in ''Anime/{{Gate}}'', when [[spoiler: the Yellow Rose Knightly order, have to fight their comrades]], the Imperial soldiers rightly question why they are fighting loyal knights, obeying the last few orders of the Emperor. They only go through because they fear their families would be killed if they didn't fight them. Because of this, the Knights of around 300 fend off over a thousand soldiers for presumably days. In the end, [[WhatMeasureIsAMook you feel particularly sad for the Imperial Soldiers who got caught up in it all.]]

->'''Intendant''': Execute them! I think you'll find that random and unprovoked executions will keep your entire workforce alert and motivated.\\
'''Garak''': I bow to your brilliance. Though I do hope your mood improves before we run out of workers.

* A RunningGag with Major Neuheim in ''Series/PrivateSchultz''.

# Eaten by piranha beetles, and then the clone was shown the remains.
# Blown out an airlock
# Lowered inch by inch into a vat of molten copper ("It was what the smelter used that day.")
# Chained in a drive tube while the engine was slowly powered up
# Among others. When the New Republic finally got a hold of him and sentenced him to death, his request to the firing squad was that they "do it right this time."

* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse

*** Eaten by piranha beetles, and then the clone was shown the remains.
*** Blown out an airlock
*** Lowered inch by inch into a vat of molten copper ("It was what the smelter used that day.")
*** Chained in a drive tube while the engine was slowly powered up
*** Among others. When the New Republic finally got a hold of him and sentenced him to death, his request to the firing squad was that they "do it right this time."
** Beautifully subverted in the third StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel, ''[[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy The Last Command]]''. 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.
-->''[Pellaeon] stood there beside the newly minted lieutenant, feeling the stunned awe pervading the bridge as he watched Thrawn leave. Yesterday, the ''Chimaera'''s crew had trusted and respected the Grand Admiral. After today, they would be ready to die for him.''

''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' explores this trope in "The Gift" in which Lord Hater becomes absolutely frustrated with the stupidity of the Watchdogs. Meanwhile, Wander gives each Watchdog a gift (It's the equivalent of Christmas or the holiday season) and for the first time ever, they experience what it's like to be happy. Their competence skyyrockets and they create an organized team to "Rescue " Hater (Who had been trying to avoid getting a gift from Wander and Sylvia.). After they secure Hater, he congratulates them on a job well done. The Watchdogs respond by thanking him for all the gifts he bought them, causing him to realize that Wander signed Hater's name to the gift tags instead of his own. This trope is really driven home in "The Gift 2: The Giftening" as well because in it we learn that the watchdogs have never been happy and that their boss quite literally treats happiness like a disease as well as frequently zaps anything that angers him with loads of green lightning.

* Literature/MartinFierro: When the conscripted soldiers arrived at the Frontier, an official told them that anyone who tries to desert will get five hundred strokes, and so he could count himself as dead.

* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', Lordgenome treats his QuirkyMinibossSquad in this manner. Most blatantly, when Adiane withdraws from a battle with the heroes to avoid harming Lordgenome's [[RebelliousPrincess own daughter]], he scolds her because said daughter had been abandoned - and when Adiane remarks that she was never TOLD that, he responds with even more threats. In fact, the only one of the Miniboss Squad who doesn't seem to be effected by this is Guame, who is assumed to be Lordgenome's NonhumanSidekick from [[spoiler:his time as a Spiral Warrior. Guame was Lordgenome's Boota!]]

* StarWarsExpandedUniverse

* Despite his pop-cultural portrayal, Creator/NiccoloMachiavelli was aware of this trope. In his ''Literature/DiscoursesOnLivy'' he cites exapmles of rulers who punished their military leaders for failures with death or exile. He concludes that such measures drastically decreased the army's ethusiasm and willingness to risk, so he severely discouraged use of YouHaveFailedMe tactic.

* [[BadBoss Visser Three]] of ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' has this as his predominant character trait - his reputation for cruelty, megalomania, and ambition are dwarfed among his own kind by his reputation for being [[BadBoss absolutely ruthless to his subordinates.]] The penalty for failure, incompetence, or low morale is instant [[OffWithHisHead decapitation.]]

* in ''Anime/Gate'', when [[spoiler: the Yellow Rose Knightly order, have to fight their comrades]], the Imperial soldiers rightly question why they are fighting loyal knights, obeying the last few orders of the Emperor. They only go through because they fear their families would be killed if they didn't fight them. Because of this, the Knights of around 300 fend off over a thousand soldiers for presumably days. In the end, [[WhatMeasureIsAMook you feel particularly sad for the Imperial Soldiers who got caught up in it all.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Burns puts a ''literal'' VillainousDemotivator ("Don't Forget, You're Here Forever") in front of Homer's workstation. Turns into a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming when Homer selectively covers it with pictures of Maggie until what's left is "Do_i_t For___ Her".

* In ''WesternAnimation/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 [[spoiler:Mai loves Zuko more than she fears her.]] Of course, at this point [[spoiler: Ty Lee ''also'' betrays her upon seeing Azula threaten Mai with lifelong imprisonment, winding up to put a bolt of lightning into Mai for it. What gets worse is that this is how Azula treats people she ''likes''.]]

Bad guys have a lot of problems keeping a NebulousEvilOrganisation running. There's [[{{Mooks}} High turnover]] due to heroic raids, [[SurroundedByIdiots lack of professionalism]] in the EvilMinions, and motivating the surviving personnel. This last one is especially difficult because just as EvilCannotComprehendGood, it also can't understand positive reinforcement.

'''Garak''': [[ServileSnarker I bow to your brilliance. Though I do hope your mood improves before we run out of workers.]]

* In ''TheDarkEye'', Borbarad told the inmates of a prison "All of you will follow me. [[BadassBoast I merely asked, who wants to do so alive.]]"

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 [[IControlMyMinionsThrough makes sense as a negative motivational tool]], and a nice little KickTheDog that can fuel a MistreatmentInducedBetrayal or a 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]].