* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', the organization GREMLIN tends to do this to its low level members. GREMLIN considers anybody who isn't privy to the organization's true objectives to be expendable.
* In the anime adaptation of ''Ai No Kusabi'', this overlaps with RewardedAsATraitorDeserves. [[spoiler: Iason has successfully used former Bison gang member Kirie to sell out and destroy the gang in a BatmanGambit. When Kirie shows up to collect his reward money, he's instead taken by an android posing as Iason. He's not killed but his ''[[BrainWashed mind is altered]]'' and he's turned into an unthinking and obedient [[SexSlave Pet]].]]
* This is common with Szilard from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', who considers anybody to be disposable including homunculi created from his own cells, to misfit gangsters given an incomplete immortality serum JUST to ensure they are easy to dispose of- if you think that's a contradiction, you need to watch the show.
** [[FrenchJerk Huey]] also views the Lemeurs, including his own doting daughter, as this.
* Emperor Barodius, the third BigBad from ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'' was a big fan of this as well as YouHaveFailedMe. If he didn't kill you, he'd brainwash you instead.
** Mag Mel, the BigBad after Barodius, outright told his CoDragons when he created them that the moment they were no longer of use to him, their lives would end. [[spoiler:When Mistress Sellon actually does outlive her usefulness, he promptly kills her in an absolutely chilling way as she's pleading for him to spare her, then [[DevourTheDragon eats her energy to fuel himself]]. He then does the exact same thing to Anubias in the next episode.]]
* Used in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' when the main antagonist, [[spoiler: Sosuke Aizen, betrays and ([[LeftForDead almost]]) coldly murders his loving subordinate Momo Hinamori, and attempts to do so to Rukia Kuchiki as well after noticing that she's still alive after the Hogyoku is extracted.]] Oh, and what he did to [[spoiler: Halibel. After two of her higher-ranked fellow Espada had been defeated, Aizen just slashed her with his sword, claiming that she "was too weak to keep on fighting for him."]]
** [[spoiler: [[ImmortalHero And yet all of those people survived.]]]]
** Likewise, the BigBad of the Bount filler arc loved doing this, to the point where "you were just pawns" almost seems like his CatchPhrase.
** Furthermore, the BigBad of the final arc [[spoiler: , Juhabach, kills Luders Friegen after the latter finished his task]].
* Alphard from ''Anime/{{Canaan}}'' simply decides to [[spoiler:discard Liang Qi by deliberately leaving her behind in a building that is about to be bombed]].
* In ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'', [[BigBad Priscilla]] tells [[spoiler: Raki]] that he has outlived his usefulness to her and that she is [[IAmAHumanitarian hungry after seven years of not eating]]... [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope and saves his life from the Destroyer's rods.]]]]
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has its AntiHero protagonist do this with mind-controlled enemies. He does it to a fair few of his "allies" too, although never to their faces.
** [[spoiler: Then, as a subversion, his "allies" do it to HIM. They get away with it too, sort of.]]
** At the beginning of R2 [[spoiler:Lelouch is stripped of his memories and used in a plan to lure out C.C., so when the Britannian soldiers find C.C., they plan to kill Lelouch since he's fulfilled his purpose]].
* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', this is is the fate of almost everyone used by [[VillainProtagonist Light Yagami]], even if they are close to him, so that he can safely cover his tracks after they had served their purpose. Also the fate of many pawns that served under TheMafia group of Mello, especially when they were trying to get the titular ArtifactOfDoom. Surprisingly, the last use of the trope in the story wasn't done by either of those two but by [[spoiler:Ryuk on Light himself because Light had been permanently stopped from killing and thus no longer held his interest -- reminding us that, despite his personality as a lovable goof, Ryuk is still a {{Shinigami}} to the core]].
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Upon his rebirth, Venom Myotismon promptly devours Demidevimon, his sole remaining loyal minion. He also does this quite famously to Arukenimon in Anime/DigimonAdventure02.
** This trope is actually pretty common for Digimon villains.

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* Mistress 9 does this to Kaolinite in the third season of ''Manga/SailorMoon'', which also happens to be the only season in which the "YouHaveFailedMe" trope is not used. Considering how nasty Kaolinite had been to Mistress 9's host body, Hotaru, this was also motivated by revenge.
* Although no special line is used, this is the reason Captain Kuro tries to kill his entire crew in ''Manga/OnePiece'': he no longer needs them, and can't allow anyone who knows his [[SecretIdentity true identity]] to live.
** Arlong since [[FantasticRacism he hates humans]] was [[FridgeHorror implied planning to do this to Nami]] had Luffy not done anything.
** This also happened to Nico Robin when she was Miss All-Sunday, TheDragon for Baroque Works. Might be {{subverted}}, since she never intended to give her boss, Crocodile, the information he wanted anyway.
* In ''Anime/SoukouNoStrain'', [[spoiler: when Ralph finds the other Emily aboard the Libertad and knows that the ReliableTraitor is about to move against him, he throws a coup and kills the rest of Medlock's crew, only keeping her around until she too "serves her purpose".]]
* In ''Manga/ZatchBell'', Gash's evil twin Zeon hires a demon named Baltro to kidnap Kiyomaro's father and lure Gash into a battle. When Baltro and his partner fail to burn Gash's book, Zeon promptly burns Baltro's, stating that all losers in battles must return to the demon world and that those are the rules.
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': In episode 31, three workers of the Photon Atomic Research Institute were kidnapped by TheDragon and hypnotized in piloting the latest batch of [[{{Robeast}} Mechanical Beasts]] BigBad Dr. Hell had built (Megaron P1, P2 and P3). However one of the weapons of Megaron generated such a heat blast would surely kill whoever was sitting in the cockpit. Hell and Ashura knew the three men surely would die during the battle, but as long as they died ''after'' they would have fulfilled their purpose, they did not care.

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* Used in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' when the main antagonist, [[spoiler: Sosuke Aizen, betrays and ([[LeftForDead almost]]) coldly murders his loving subordinate Momo Hinamori, and attempts to do so to Rukia Kuchiki as well after noticing that she's still alive after the Hogyoku is extracted.]] Oh, and what he did to [[spoiler: Halibel. After two of her higher-ranked fellow Espada had been defeated, Aizen just slashed her with his sword, claiming that she "was too weak to keep on fighting for him."]]
** [[spoiler: [[ImmortalHero And yet all of those people survived.]]]]
** Likewise, the BigBad of the Bount filler arc loved doing this, to the point where "you were just pawns" almost seems like his CatchPhrase.
** Furthermore, the BigBad of the final arc [[spoiler: , Juhabach, kills Luders Friegen after the latter finished his task]].
* Zako Red in ''Anime/SDGundamForce'' gets deactivated by Commander Sazabi as soon as he's finished helping the invasion of Neotopia commence. This is particularly stupid because, aside from Zako Red, Sazabi was more or less SurroundedByIdiots.
** However, the show implies rather strongly that Zako Red is simply a drone operated by Sazabi to allow him to carry out his plans without revealing himself.
** And it turns out the Zakos and their bumbling commanders are only a small iteration of the Dark Axis anyway, as shown by the Doga Commandos and the villains that appear in the second half of the series.
** Later on, once the General, leader of the Dark Axis, developes the power to absorb gundams through a combination tractor beam/dimensional portal, Sazabi's superior Professor Gerbera decides there's no point in maintaining the alliance he had with Kibaomaru's forces.

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* In chapter 81 of ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'', Giacomo Dante has been captured and the Turin facility secured, [[spoiler:then tanks roll in, PFC Aprea is arrested and the SWA is being told to surrender to the military. Turns out, the Prime Minister now seeks to pin the whole incident on the SWA and get them labelled an anti-government organization.]]
* [[spoiler:Genkishi]] from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' had this happen to him seemingly just to show that people can actually die.
** And Xanxus kept apparently [[BadBoss doing this to all of his underlings]] whenever they lost matches with Tsuna' guardians, [[EvilLaugh laughing]] about how they're trash... only for it to be revealed that not a single one of them actually ''did'' die.
* Subverted in ''Anime/MacrossFrontier''. Various baddies attempt to do so a couple of times, but [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption it always fails]].
* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS'', [[spoiler:Due, after killing Regius]] tells Zest that his "usefulness and (his) revenge are at an end". [[spoiler:In an inversion of the typical result of this trope, ''Zest'' kills ''her'']].
* In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', despite having successfully held off the [[spoiler:Ala Rubra till the ceremony to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt was over, the BigBad in a sneak attack shot both Nagi and Primum through the chest with a high piercing DeathRay]]. This wasn't due to [[spoiler:[[WeHaveReserves Primum being a casualty in the way]], because of the way the two were facing: Nagi's back turned to the direction of the on-coming attack]]. By the way that [[spoiler:Nagi had [[NeckLift Neck Lifted]] Primum, he likely watched the [[BlackCloak Black Cloaked]] villain as the beam was fired, [[TechnicallyASmile smiling]] as it did]].
** [[spoiler: And then he did the exact same thing with Fate and Negi, after Fate had decided to stop fighting Negi.]]
* In ''Anime/{{Mai-HiME}}'', the Obsidian Lord is planning to do this with his First District followers, including the OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness, [[spoiler:but Shizuru, going on a rampage fueled by her feelings for Natsuki, beats him to it]].
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': In episode 31, three workers of the Photon Atomic Research Institute were kidnapped by TheDragon and hypnotized in piloting the latest batch of [[{{Robeast}} Mechanical Beasts]] BigBad Dr. Hell had built (Megaron P1, P2 and P3). However one of the weapons of Megaron generated such a heat blast would surely kill whoever was sitting in the cockpit. Hell and Ashura knew the three men surely would die during the battle, but as long as they died ''after'' they would have fulfilled their purpose, they did not care.
* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', General Septem is tricked by Lady Une on behalf of OZ to give a live speech (aboard a plane fleeing the attack of the New Edwards Base) condemning peace with the space colonies and reaffirming Earth's resolve to the war. After ending the broadcast, Lady Une calmly and politely informs the General that his "services were no longer required," immediately before [[ThrownFromTheZeppelin opening a hatch under his seat]]. ''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill Then shooting him in the head on his way down]]''.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'''s ([[FanNickname f]][[SoundEffectBleep *]][[FanNickname cking]]) Ribbons Almark does this quite a bit.
* This is standard procedure for Johan in ''Manga/{{Monster}}''. Anyone who's come into contact with him for whatever reason tend to die shortly after their role has been played.

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* Nakago of ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' does this to one of his fellow Seiryuu warriors after he receives the MacGuffin he was ordered to steal (although this is partly because the man's "human form" was killed, making him little more than a smart wolf).
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has its AntiHero protagonist do this with mind-controlled enemies. He does it to a fair few of his "allies" too, although never to their faces.
** [[spoiler: Then, as a subversion, his "allies" do it to HIM. They get away with it too, sort of.]]
** At the beginning of R2 [[spoiler:Lelouch is stripped of his memories and used in a plan to lure out C.C., so when the Britannian soldiers find C.C., they plan to kill Lelouch since he's fulfilled his purpose]].
* In ''Anime/{{Mai-HiME}}'', the Obsidian Lord is planning to do this with his First District followers, including the OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness, [[spoiler:but Shizuru, going on a rampage fueled by her feelings for Natsuki, beats him to it]].
* This is common with Szilard from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', who considers anybody to be disposable including homunculi created from his own cells, to misfit gangsters given an incomplete immortality serum JUST to ensure they are easy to dispose of- if you think that's a contradiction, you need to watch the show.
** [[FrenchJerk Huey]] also views the Lemeurs, including his own doting daughter, as this.
* Fuuma does this to Kusanagi in the ''Manga/{{X1999}}'' movie after the latter gets his arm dismembered by the protagonists. The result is a RainOfBlood. The manga and anime versions of Fuuma do similar things.
* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', this is is the fate of almost everyone used by [[VillainProtagonist Light Yagami]], even if they are close to him, so that he can safely cover his tracks after they had served their purpose. Also the fate of many pawns that served under TheMafia group of Mello, especially when they were trying to get the titular ArtifactOfDoom. Surprisingly, the last use of the trope in the story wasn't done by either of those two but by [[spoiler:Ryuk on Light himself because Light had been permanently stopped from killing and thus no longer held his interest -- reminding us that, despite his personality as a lovable goof, Ryuk is still a {{Shinigami}} to the core]].

to:

* Although no special line is used, this is the reason Captain Kuro tries to kill his entire crew in ''Manga/OnePiece'': he no longer needs them, and can't allow anyone who knows his [[SecretIdentity true identity]] to live.
** Arlong since [[FantasticRacism he hates humans]] was [[FridgeHorror implied planning to do this to Nami]] had Luffy not done anything.
** This also happened to Nico Robin when she was Miss All-Sunday, TheDragon for Baroque Works. Might be {{subverted}}, since she never intended to give her boss, Crocodile, the information he wanted anyway.
* In ''Manga/PokemonSpecial'', Archie rewards his very loyal and very competant henchman, who successfully managed to steal the Blue Orb for him and is now inside a submarine, asking for a hand up, by sending the sub off after removing the device that equalized the pressure inside, effectively leaving the poor guy for dead. Apparently it would have been too much of an effort to pull him up. The henchman barely manages to make it to the surface but sadly, he goes in denial, refusing to believe that his boss abandoned him, and fights on to make sure no one stops Kyogre.
** In the anime, we have Paul. When a Pokemon of his doesn't perform up to his expectations, it is released back into the wild.
*** Cyrus is just as big an example, ignoring his loyal Admins to go into the world he intended to create.
*** Not as extreme an example, but in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'', Mewtwo has put the local Nurse Joy under [[{{Brainwashed}} mind control]] to act as a sort of greeter to the people he has lured onto New Island, and upon revealing himself and sending one of the guests who tried to attack him flying through the room, he tells Nurse Joy her usefulness has ended and lifts her from the mind control. Granted, Mewtwo was more of an AffablyEvil Pokemon than a BadBoss, but this is still an example.
* Mistress 9 does this to Kaolinite in the third season of ''Manga/SailorMoon'', which also happens to be the only season in which the "YouHaveFailedMe" trope is not used. Considering how nasty Kaolinite had been to Mistress 9's host body, Hotaru, this was also motivated by revenge.
* Zako Red in ''Anime/SDGundamForce'' gets deactivated by Commander Sazabi as soon as he's finished helping the invasion of Neotopia commence. This is particularly stupid because, aside from Zako Red, Sazabi was more or less SurroundedByIdiots.
** However, the show implies rather strongly that Zako Red is simply a drone operated by Sazabi to allow him to carry out his plans without revealing himself.
** And it turns out the Zakos and their bumbling commanders are only a small iteration of the Dark Axis anyway, as shown by the Doga Commandos and the villains that appear in the second half of the series.
** Later on, once the General, leader of the Dark Axis, developes the power to absorb gundams through a combination tractor beam/dimensional portal, Sazabi's superior Professor Gerbera decides there's no point in maintaining the alliance he had with Kibaomaru's forces.

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* In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', despite having successfully held off the [[spoiler:Ala Rubra till the ceremony to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt was over, the BigBad in a sneak attack shot both Nagi and Primum through the chest with a high piercing DeathRay]]. This wasn't due to [[spoiler:[[WeHaveReserves Primum being a casualty in the way]], because of the way the two were facing: Nagi's back turned to the direction of the on-coming attack]]. By the way that [[spoiler:Nagi had [[NeckLift Neck Lifted]] Primum, he likely watched the [[BlackCloak Black Cloaked]] villain as the beam was fired, [[TechnicallyASmile smiling]] as it did]].
** [[spoiler: And then he did the exact same thing with Fate and Negi, after Fate had decided to stop fighting Negi.]]
* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', General Septem is tricked by Lady Une on behalf of OZ to give a live speech (aboard a plane fleeing the attack of the New Edwards Base) condemning peace with the space colonies and reaffirming Earth's resolve to the war. After ending the broadcast, Lady Une calmly and politely informs the General that his "services were no longer required," immediately before [[ThrownFromTheZeppelin opening a hatch under his seat]]. ''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill Then shooting him in the head on his way down]]''.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'''s ([[FanNickname f]][[SoundEffectBleep *]][[FanNickname cking]]) Ribbons Almark does this quite a bit.

to:

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* [[spoiler:Genkishi]] from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' had this happen to him seemingly just to show that people can actually die.
** And Xanxus kept apparently [[BadBoss doing this to all of his underlings]] whenever they lost matches with Tsuna' guardians, [[EvilLaugh laughing]] about how they're trash... only for it to be revealed that not a single one of them actually ''did'' die.
* Alphard from ''Anime/{{Canaan}}'' simply decides to [[spoiler:discard Liang Qi by deliberately leaving her behind in a building that is about to be bombed]].
* This is standard procedure for Johan in ''Manga/{{Monster}}''. Anyone who's come into contact with him for whatever reason tend to die shortly after their role has been played.
* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS'', [[spoiler:Due, after killing Regius]] tells Zest that his "usefulness and (his) revenge are at an end". [[spoiler:In an inversion of the typical result of this trope, ''Zest'' kills ''her'']].
* In ''Manga/PokemonSpecial'', Archie rewards his very loyal and very competant henchman, who successfully managed to steal the Blue Orb for him and is now inside a submarine, asking for a hand up, by sending the sub off after removing the device that equalized the pressure inside, effectively leaving the poor guy for dead. Apparently it would have been too much of an effort to pull him up. The henchman barely manages to make it to the surface but sadly, he goes in denial, refusing to believe that his boss abandoned him, and fights on to make sure no one stops Kyogre.
** In the anime, we have Paul. When a Pokemon of his doesn't perform up to his expectations, it is released back into the wild.
*** Cyrus is just as big an example, ignoring his loyal Admins to go into the world he intended to create.
*** Not as extreme an example, but in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'', Mewtwo has put the local Nurse Joy under [[{{Brainwashed}} mind control]] to act as a sort of greeter to the people he has lured onto New Island, and upon revealing himself and sending one of the guests who tried to attack him flying through the room, he tells Nurse Joy her usefulness has ended and lifts her from the mind control. Granted, Mewtwo was more of an AffablyEvil Pokemon than a BadBoss, but this is still an example.

to:

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* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Upon his rebirth, Venom Myotismon promptly devours Demidevimon, his sole remaining loyal minion. He also does this quite famously to Arukenimon in Anime/DigimonAdventure02.
** This trope is actually pretty common for Digimon villains.
* Emperor Barodius, the third BigBad from ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'' was a big fan of this as well as YouHaveFailedMe. If he didn't kill you, he'd brainwash you instead.
** Mag Mel, the BigBad after Barodius, outright told his CoDragons when he created them that the moment they were no longer of use to him, their lives would end. [[spoiler:When Mistress Sellon actually does outlive her usefulness, he promptly kills her in an absolutely chilling way as she's pleading for him to spare her, then [[DevourTheDragon eats her energy to fuel himself]]. He then does the exact same thing to Anubias in the next episode.]]
* Subverted in ''Anime/MacrossFrontier''. Various baddies attempt to do so a couple of times, but [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption it always fails]].
* In the anime adaptation of ''Ai No Kusabi'', this overlaps with RewardedAsATraitorDeserves. [[spoiler: Iason has successfully used former Bison gang member Kirie to sell out and destroy the gang in a BatmanGambit. When Kirie shows up to collect his reward money, he's instead taken by an android posing as Iason. He's not killed but his ''[[BrainWashed mind is altered]]'' and he's turned into an unthinking and obedient [[SexSlave Pet]].]]
* ''Anime/{{Windaria}}'' The BigBad quotes the trope name when speaking about Alan.
* In chapter 81 of ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'', Giacomo Dante has been captured and the Turin facility secured, [[spoiler:then tanks roll in, PFC Aprea is arrested and the SWA is being told to surrender to the military. Turns out, the Prime Minister now seeks to pin the whole incident on the SWA and get them labelled an anti-government organization.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'', [[BigBad Priscilla]] tells [[spoiler: Raki]] that he has outlived his usefulness to her and that she is [[IAmAHumanitarian hungry after seven years of not eating]]... [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope and saves his life from the Destroyer's rods.]]]]
* In VictoryGundam, AxCrazy Fuala, gets a pilot to help her in a plan against Uso's Gundam. [[spoiler:After the plan succeeds, she shoots the pilot in the face. Ironically, the pilot was named Kill.]]
* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', the organization GREMLIN tends to do this to its low level members. GREMLIN considers anybody who isn't privy to the organization's true objectives to be expendable.

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* In the {{Cyclops}} rip-off called ''The Comet'', the title character may have been the {{Trope Namer|s}} [[http://www.cracked.com/article_20026_5-iconic-characters-you-didnt-know-were-ripoffs_p2.html when he shoots one gang member to death]]:
-->'''Comet:''' Bud, you've outlived your usefulness.
* In ''CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', Brainiac and Lex Luthor are assembling an army of supervillains. Alexi Luthor, the Earth 2 counterpart of Lex Luthor, demands to know why Lex should be in command given he is just as smart. Brainiac responds that Alexi is correct and that the venture does not require two Luthors, then promptly vaporizes Alexi.
* The Star Sapphire gem once possessed a girl named Krystal so it could have a temporary body while it searched for its preferred host, Carol Ferris. It breaks into Carol's jet, {{Body Surf}}s into Carol, mocks Krystal as an inferior specimen unworthy of [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan's]] love, then flies away. Sadly, the confused, naked girl barely has enough time to ask what is going on before the jet crashes.
* In the comic of ''TheIncredibles'', this is what happens to Underminer when he objects to Xerek using him and the Incredibles-decorated mecha as a punching bag in a large scheme to discredit the supers.

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* The Star Sapphire gem once possessed a girl named Krystal so it could have a temporary body while it searched for its preferred host, Carol Ferris. It breaks into Carol's jet, {{Body Surf}}s into Carol, mocks Krystal as an inferior specimen unworthy of [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan's]] love, then flies away. Sadly, the confused, naked girl barely has enough time to ask what is going on before the jet crashes.
* In the comic of ''TheIncredibles'', this is what happens to Underminer when he objects to Xerek using him and the Incredibles-decorated mecha as a punching bag in a large scheme to discredit the supers.
* The twisted relationship between [[Franchise/StarWars Dark Jedi]] Asajj Ventress and the warlord Osika Kirske who [[YouKilledMyFather killed her parents and her Jedi Master]]. After becoming a powerful dark sider and conquering her war-torn planet, she killed most of the warlords but spared Kirske and locked him in the deepest part of her dungeons. When Obi-Wan and the ARC trooper Alpha escaped the prison, they encountered Kirske, who accompanied them and explained his relationship to Asajj. He added that the most likely reason that he was alive was that Ventress needed an archnemesis, otherwise [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou she would have no one to hate]]. Unfortunately for Kirske, Obi-Wan had messed with Ventress enough by this point that he seemed to have taken Kirske's place as most hated enemy, and when the trio encountered her she beheaded the warlord without a second thought.

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* In ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic Universe's]]'' "30 Years Later" storyline, [[KnightTemplar King Shadow]] [[spoiler:breaks Lien-Da's armband, causing her to fade into the time-line]] after she rescues him from stasis. This seems to be because she questioned [[spoiler:releasing Tikhaos]]
* The twisted relationship between [[Franchise/StarWars Dark Jedi]] Asajj Ventress and the warlord Osika Kirske who [[YouKilledMyFather killed her parents and her Jedi Master]]. After becoming a powerful dark sider and conquering her war-torn planet, she killed most of the warlords but spared Kirske and locked him in the deepest part of her dungeons. When Obi-Wan and the ARC trooper Alpha escaped the prison, they encountered Kirske, who accompanied them and explained his relationship to Asajj. He added that the most likely reason that he was alive was that Ventress needed an archnemesis, otherwise [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou she would have no one to hate]]. Unfortunately for Kirske, Obi-Wan had messed with Ventress enough by this point that he seemed to have taken Kirske's place as most hated enemy, and when the trio encountered her she beheaded the warlord without a second thought.
* {{Tintin}}'s archnemesis, Roberto Rastapopoulos, shows his worst in ''Flight 714''. Along with his enemies/victims, he had plans to kill every one of his minions (with the possible exception of Allan, his [[TheDragon dragon]]) before his master plan was through. He doesn't get to carry out said plans, though.

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* In ''Film/SupermanII'', Lex Luthor aids the Kryptonian supervillains by giving them information on Superman and is rewarded twice with the threat of death.
** First he leads them to Perry White's office and Lois Lane, with the expectation that where she is, Superman will soon show up (and he does). Zod then says "Kill the rest. Starting with him (Luthor)". After the fight with Superman is over Luthor gives Zod "Superman's address" (the Fortress of Solitude, which Luthor discovered earlier).
** After Superman surrenders to Zod to save Lois' life, Zod says "We have no more use for this one. Kill him. (Luthor)" However, this is a ploy to let Luthor gain useful information from Superman (Non is about to kill Luthor as Zod commanded but stops at a quiet word from Zod).
* The villains of ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' are quite fond of this trope. They execute everyone they have contact with once they're through with them.
** [[Film/DieHard Hans Gruber's]] willingness to blow up the Nakatomi building's roof when Karl was up there chasing [=McClane=] might have been an earlier example of this trope, as the original film's [[TheDragon Dragon]] had become so obsessed with avenging his brother that he was becoming an unmanagable liability to Gruber's plans.
* In ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' includes a scene where [[spoiler: Mystique, Magneto's most loyal lieutenant, gets [[BroughtDownToNormal depowered]]... and Magneto immediately abandons her to the cops as "not one of us anymore".]]
** It makes a bit more sense [[spoiler:when you consider the original ending of the movie. When Magneto is at the park bench at the end, Mystique was supposed to be sitting next to him, implying that Magneto's rejection of her and her subsequent betrayal were both actually staged to lower the defenses of Alcatraz Island later.]]
* Surprisingly, the Sith mastermind Darth Sidious in the ''StarWars'' series only does this twice, and both in ''Revenge of the Sith.'' Count Dooku doesn't realize how expendable he is until Sidious orders his replacement, the future Darth Vader, to execute him (though to be fair, the rules state that there can only be two Sith). Then, once the Separatist leaders have done their job, Sidious informs them that he is sending Vader to "take care of them." Naturally, this means Vader locks the door and slaughters them. Vader's sweetheart Padmé probably would've also been discarded by Sidious, if Vader hadn't accidentally done that himself.
** He does it a third...or is that first?...time in Return of the Jedi, when he urges Luke to finish off Vader and take his place at the Emperor's side.
** Three times in ''Revenge of the Sith'': the book states that he would have killed Grievous if he had won against Obi-Wan.
** It sounds strange, but it's part of the Sith doctrine: kill the other if you can form a stronger duo without him. A Sith apprentice is fully aware that their master may replace them someday… Reciprocally, as a master, if your apprentice doesn't plan to kill you, you are not doing your master's job.
** Sidious did this to his master, Darth Plagueis, after his election to the chancellorship was secured. The ExpandedUniverse establishes that this was done with force lightning and a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
* In the movie ''MysteryMen'', Casanova Frankenstein kills his own men for no other reason than to show that [[VillainBall he is so evil]].
** That and he wasn't willing to wait for them to get out of the way before activating the booby trap that would prevent the advancing heroes from reaching him.

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* In ''AFairlyOddMovieGrowUpTimmyTurner'', Hugh J. Magnate does this to Mr. Crocker.
* In ''AngelsAndDemons'', TheDragon is ''retired with prejudice'' after having dealt with [[spoiler: or tried to kill, in the fourth case anyway]] the four cardinals. This is especially conspicuous after it was revealed his client institution was a long-term repeat customer.
-->''You know, when they call me, and they '''all''' call me, it is so important to them that I know what they ask is the Lord's will.''
* ''Film/TheAvengers1998''. After Sir August's WeatherControlMachine is finished he murders the scientists who helped him build it.
* In the 1989 ''Film/{{Batman}}'', the Joker responds to his own failure by requesting a handgun from his most loyal psycho-henchman Bob, only to shoot Bob point-blank for no reason at all.
** Well really, why didn't Bob tell him Batman had one of those... things?
* Subverted in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' as a minor PetTheDog moment for the villain. When Dr. Zola notices that there's only enough room in the escape craft for one, it seems as though Red Skull is leaving him to die in the self-destructing base. But nope, Red Skull hands him the keys to his personal CoolCar and tells him not to scratch the paint job. Oh, but surely there's a bomb in the car. Right? Again, nope; Zola just starts the car and drives off to safety.
** It's also invoked by Col. Phillips to Dr. Zola [[spoiler: after he's been captured by the SSR.]]
* In its SpiritualSuccessor, ''Film/{{Casino}}'', the Chicago bosses order ThePurge because of a combination of this and HeKnowsTooMuch.
* The [[TheFilmOfTheBook film version]] of ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger'' has the drug cartel spy Felix Cortez [[NeckSnap snap Moira Wolfe's neck]] after getting from her the information his employer desired.[[note]]This is in contrast to the book, where she's left alive, but made unavailable due to Escobedo using the information that Cortez had collected for an attack on a US delegation visiting Colombia. After the US discovers the source of the leak and gets her cooperation in capturing him, his returning to the US would result in being arrested.[[/note]]
* ''Film/{{Cliffhanger}}'', threatened a number of times but never actually played straight. Mostly because the characters [[GenreSavvy take steps to ensure they still are usefull]].
* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. The BigBad [[spoiler:Gabriel]] disposes of his ally [[spoiler:Balthasar]] after he completes his mission to draw out Angela Dodson.
* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'':
** In ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Scarecrow does this to [[spoiler:Carmine Falcone]] not only because he isn't useful anymore, but also because HeKnowsTooMuch.
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'':
*** SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker does this to the entire mob, who hire him to take out Batman only to wish they hadn't as Joker's machinations ruin and eventually kill them - the only one who doesn't get killed by Joker is Maroni, who gets Two-Face set on him instead.
*** In the opening sequence, [[spoiler:the Joker has actually instructed his men to do this to ''each other''. Then he steps in to take care of the last one himself.]]
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', Bane does this to Daggett. Also, he at one point tells a guy he's going to kill him in a minute, but the mook [[UndyingLoyalty still keeps following orders]].
* Subverted in the only clever moment in the ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons'' film. Damodar begs Profion to take out the parasite in his head as promised, and the spell Profion casts knocks him away and to the floor, apparently killing him. However, Damodar then gets right back up as the parasite leaves.
** Though in the SciFiChannel sequel it turned out he was cursed and became undead.
* In ''Firestorm'', Randall Alexander Shaye systematically kills each of the convicts who helped him escape once they's stopped being useful/become a liability.
* A nonfatal example in ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'', Cobra Commander leaves Destro to rot in prison, telling him he's "out of the band".
* In ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', Jimmy murders all of his cohorts in the Lufthansa heist (except [[TrueCompanions Henry and Tommy]]) so he won't have to split the loot with them or risk them constantly blabbing about it.

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* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'':
** In ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Scarecrow does this to [[spoiler:Carmine Falcone]] not only because he isn't useful anymore, but also because HeKnowsTooMuch.
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'':
*** SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker does this to the entire mob, who hire him to take out Batman only to wish they hadn't as Joker's machinations ruin and eventually kill them - the only one who doesn't get killed by Joker is Maroni, who gets Two-Face set on him instead.
*** In the opening sequence, [[spoiler:the Joker has actually instructed his men to do this to ''each other''. Then he steps in to take care of the last one himself.]]
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', Bane does this to Daggett. Also, he at one point tells a guy he's going to kill him in a minute, but the mook [[UndyingLoyalty still keeps following orders]].
* In the 1989 ''Film/{{Batman}}'', the Joker responds to his own failure by requesting a handgun from his most loyal psycho-henchman Bob, only to shoot Bob point-blank for no reason at all.
** Well really, why didn't Bob tell him Batman had one of those... things?
* Subverted in the only clever moment in the ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons'' film. Damodar begs Profion to take out the parasite in his head as promised, and the spell Profion casts knocks him away and to the floor, apparently killing him. However, Damodar then gets right back up as the parasite leaves.
** Though in the SciFiChannel sequel it turned out he was cursed and became undead.
* In ''AngelsAndDemons'', TheDragon is ''retired with prejudice'' after having dealt with [[spoiler: or tried to kill, in the fourth case anyway]] the four cardinals. This is especially conspicuous after it was revealed his client institution was a long-term repeat customer.
-->''You know, when they call me, and they '''all''' call me, it is so important to them that I know what they ask is the Lord's will.''
* In ''Firestorm'', Randall Alexander Shaye systematically kills each of the convicts who helped him escape once they's stopped being useful/become a liability.

to:

* Quentin Turnbull does this to Adleman Lusk in ''Film/JonahHex''. Lusk says that he will hang if Turnbull's scheme fails and Turnbull promises him that he will not hang.
* The villains of ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' are quite fond of this trope. They execute everyone they have contact with once they're through with them.
** [[Film/DieHard Hans Gruber's]] willingness to blow up the Nakatomi building's roof when Karl was up there chasing [=McClane=] might have been an earlier example of this trope, as the original film's [[TheDragon Dragon]] had become so obsessed with avenging his brother that he was becoming an unmanagable liability to Gruber's plans.
* In ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', Ivan Ooze commands the brainwashed citizens of Angel Grove to return to the construction site he was freed from and leap off the tall cliff there after construction of his Ecto-Morphicon Titans is done. It's implied he did this to the last group of people to do the same when the machines were built. It's subverted, though, since the kids of Angel Grove are able to hold them back long enough for the Rangers to defeat Ooze and break the trance.
* In the movie ''MysteryMen'', Casanova Frankenstein kills his own men for no other reason than to show that [[VillainBall he is so evil]].
** That and he wasn't willing to wait for them to get out of the way before activating the booby trap that would prevent the advancing heroes from reaching him.
* From ''Film/TheOmen'', Damien (aka TheAntichrist) is given to the Thorn family in order to secure financial and political power and will dispose of them once it is certain that he will inherit their wealth.

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* In ''Film/{{XXX}}'', the villains test out a deadly nerve gas on [[spoiler: the scientists who developed it for them]].
* In ''Film/TimeBandits'', Kevin demands that Evil call off his skull-headed monsters or he'll destroy the map. Evil replies, "Very well. I have no more need of them," and destroys all the monsters, then goes a step further and kills ''all'' his remaining minions.
* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. The BigBad [[spoiler:Gabriel]] disposes of his ally [[spoiler:Balthasar]] after he completes his mission to draw out Angela Dodson.
* In ''Film/TheTransporter'', the 3 bank robbers at the beginning of the film are quietly reminded by the transporter that the conditions to using his car as a getaway car is that there is to be 3 people in the car at one time....they failed to realize he meant the driver as well. So, one of the bank robbers shoots another in the head and tosses him out the door. [[spoiler: They get caught anyway, but only some time ''after'' the transporter has successfully evaded the police and delivered them to their drop-off point.]]
* ''Film/TheAvengers1998''. After Sir August's WeatherControlMachine is finished he murders the scientists who helped him build it.
* ''Film/TheWildGeese'': the mercenaries recruited by Matheson to rescue Limbani become redundant once Matheson concludes his mining contract. Rather than recall the mercenaries - who would need to be paid! - Matheson recalls their escape plane, leaving them stranded in hostile territory.
* The [[TheFilmOfTheBook film version]] of ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger'' has the drug cartel spy Felix Cortez [[NeckSnap snap Moira Wolfe's neck]] after getting from her the information his employer desired.[[note]]This is in contrast to the book, where she's left alive, but made unavailable due to Escobedo using the information that Cortez had collected for an attack on a US delegation visiting Colombia. After the US discovers the source of the leak and gets her cooperation in capturing him, his returning to the US would result in being arrested.[[/note]]
* Clu does this to [[spoiler: Castor and Gem]] in ''Film/TRONLegacy''.

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* Surprisingly, the Sith mastermind Darth Sidious in the ''StarWars'' series only does this twice, and both in ''Revenge of the Sith.'' Count Dooku doesn't realize how expendable he is until Sidious orders his replacement, the future Darth Vader, to execute him (though to be fair, the rules state that there can only be two Sith). Then, once the Separatist leaders have done their job, Sidious informs them that he is sending Vader to "take care of them." Naturally, this means Vader locks the door and slaughters them. Vader's sweetheart Padmé probably would've also been discarded by Sidious, if Vader hadn't accidentally done that himself.
** He does it a third...or is that first?...time in Return of the Jedi, when he urges Luke to finish off Vader and take his place at the Emperor's side.
** Three times in ''Revenge of the Sith'': the book states that he would have killed Grievous if he had won against Obi-Wan.
** It sounds strange, but it's part of the Sith doctrine: kill the other if you can form a stronger duo without him. A Sith apprentice is fully aware that their master may replace them someday… Reciprocally, as a master, if your apprentice doesn't plan to kill you, you are not doing your master's job.
** Sidious did this to his master, Darth Plagueis, after his election to the chancellorship was secured. The ExpandedUniverse establishes that this was done with force lightning and a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
* In ''Film/SupermanII'', Lex Luthor aids the Kryptonian supervillains by giving them information on Superman and is rewarded twice with the threat of death.
** First he leads them to Perry White's office and Lois Lane, with the expectation that where she is, Superman will soon show up (and he does). Zod then says "Kill the rest. Starting with him (Luthor)". After the fight with Superman is over Luthor gives Zod "Superman's address" (the Fortress of Solitude, which Luthor discovered earlier).
** After Superman surrenders to Zod to save Lois' life, Zod says "We have no more use for this one. Kill him. (Luthor)" However, this is a ploy to let Luthor gain useful information from Superman (Non is about to kill Luthor as Zod commanded but stops at a quiet word from Zod).
* In ''Film/ThirtyMinutesOrLess'', Dwayne and Travis kidnap a pizza boy, strap a bomb to his chest, and threaten to blow him up unless he robs a bank. When he succeeds, Dwayne reveals that he never had any intention of letting him live, and attempts to detonate the bomb, but Travis stops him.
* In ''Film/TimeBandits'', Kevin demands that Evil call off his skull-headed monsters or he'll destroy the map. Evil replies, "Very well. I have no more need of them," and destroys all the monsters, then goes a step further and kills ''all'' his remaining minions.

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* Non-fatal example in the first ''SpyKids'' movie: After Alexander Minion gets the third brain, and reveals himself to be the film's real BigBad, he has Floop (the guy who thought ''he'' was controlling everything) [[AndIMustScream locked up in a virtual prison]].
* In ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', [[spoiler:Irene Adler]] is quickly killed off because of this.
* In ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', Ivan Ooze commands the brainwashed citizens of Angel Grove to return to the construction site he was freed from and leap off the tall cliff there after construction of his Ecto-Morphicon Titans is done. It's implied he did this to the last group of people to do the same when the machines were built. It's subverted, though, since the kids of Angel Grove are able to hold them back long enough for the Rangers to defeat Ooze and break the trance.
* In ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', Jimmy murders all of his cohorts in the Lufthansa heist (except [[TrueCompanions Henry and Tommy]]) so he won't have to split the loot with them or risk them constantly blabbing about it.
* In its SpiritualSuccessor, ''Film/{{Casino}}'', the Chicago bosses order ThePurge because of a combination of this and HeKnowsTooMuch.

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* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'': Voldemort kills [[spoiler: Snape ]] because he believed that [[spoiler:Snape needed to die at his hand in order to gain control of the Elder Wand]]. Ironically, Voldemort failed to notice the slightly greater crime of [[spoiler:continually betraying him for the last eighteen years]].
** He also kills Bertha Jorkins in the fourth book because she is of no use to him anymore.
** "Kill the spare." from that one too.
*** That one is less 'You've out lived your usefulness' and more 'you're there.'
* In ''Literature/{{Dune}}'', Baron Vladimir Harkonnen [[IHaveYourWife has Yueh's wife kidnapped]] to coerce him into betraying the house of Atreides, then [[ReleasedToElsewhere "frees" his wife]] and [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves "reunites" him with her]], because "he [[IGaveMyWord always keeps his promises]]". (However, Yueh had [[GambitPileup already guessed the Baron's intentions and planned a posthumous revenge]].)
** In a variation, Baron Harkonnen -- after surviving an assassination attempt by his nephew and baronial heir Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen -- reaches an agreement in which he will forgive this attempt on his life if his nephew agrees to wait until the Baron feels that his heir is properly prepared to take the throne, at which time he will step aside willingly (a sort of "''I'' Have Outlived ''My'' Usefulness").

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* A variation in [[AsianSaga Shogun.]] [[MagnificentBastard Toranaga]] is well aware that Yabu is TheStarscream, and has in fact betrayed him at a potentially crucial time, and this is the official reason for ordering him to commit seppuku. However, Toranaga would not have done this if Yabu hadn't outlived his usefulness at the same time, since Toranaga knew he was treacherous right from the start, and made alliances with him anyway because he was useful.
* Zandramas, the BigBad of ''[[TheBelgariad The Malloreon]]'', does this approximately fifty times in five books. Had to catch a ship? Sink it as soon as you're off. Don't need an escort any more? Break their legs and leave them for the lions. While Zandramas had a lot of bad habits, this was the one she indulged in most often.
* In ''Blonde Genius'' by JTEdson, cat burglar Gus Saunders is ejected from a plane without a parachute when after he has served TheSyndicate's purpose by robbing Bekinsop's Academy.
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's ConanTheBarbarian novel ''The Hour of the Dragon'', Valerius knows Amalric will kill him as soon as the trope came into play, and so works hard on TakingYouWithMe.

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* ''OHenri'': "Boulivard cannot carry two."
* The planet Despayre in the ''StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse, as depicted in the novel "Death Star", and before that, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSSNonaBw-8#t=2m45s the game "X-Wing"]]. (scroll to 2:45)
* The [[spoiler:octospiders]] in [[strike:Gentry Lee]] ArthurCClarke's sequels to ''RendezvousWithRama'' are ''good'' guys who do this. To themselves, voluntarily.
* In GrahamMcNeill's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/{{Ultramarines}} novel ''Nightbringer'', after Vedden and his men foment a riot, the ornithoptors they thought would extract them opened fire on them. Then Honan, whose home the attack had been launched from, complained to the conspirators, who handed him over for [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]]. Later, after de Valtos has awoken the Nightbringer, it kills him and several of the Dark Eldar, who were awakening it because they thought it would help them live forever.
* In the Creator/GeorgeOrwell novel ''AnimalFarm'', Old Major names this trope as one of the chief evils committed by man against animals, citing that "the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty." When Napoleon takes over the farm, he has [[spoiler: the big draft horse Boxer sold to the knacker's to have his throat cut and his remains boiled down for the foxhounds the very day his great muscles lose their power, and the dogs drowned in a pond when they become old and toothless.]] Unsurprisingly, he is shown to be no better, or possibly even ''worse'', than farmer Jones, who the animals overthrew near the start.
* In JamesSwallow's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''[[Literature/BloodAngels Deus Sanguinius]]'', when Sachiel [[HeelRealization realizes the truth]], [[spoiler: Inquisitor Stele]] kills him to foment a battle, and also to get rid of him.
* In the DaleBrown novel ''Warrior Class'', BigBad Pavel Kazakov threatens this some times and eventually goes through with it.
** In ''Edge of Battle'' Comandante Veracruz tries to do this to [[spoiler: Zakharov, prompting an EnemyMine.]]
* ''Literature/JackRyan'':
** In ''Literature/TheSumOfAllFears'', the terrorist BigBad does this twice in the course of his plot to nuke the United States. First, he has the East German nuclear physicist who helps them build their bomb executed once it's been completed. Then, he does the same thing to the American collaborator who helps them deliver it. In a memorable subversion, however, the physicist is killed before he can impart a crucial piece of information that causes the bomb's yield to be much lower than intended, providing the clue by which the U.S. is able to unravel the plot.
** Played straight in ''Dead or Alive'' by the terrorist group, who kills all but two people who worked with them while they were setting up for their attacks. The two exceptions were the prostitute hired to service the group's leader and the woman who was extracting the information from the Yucca Flats employee: the former didn't know anything that could compromise them, and the latter was deemed to be too much of a risk to kill because she might have left behind evidence to be released on her death.
* In ''MemorySorrowAndThorn'', the BigBad Storm King rather casually obliterates EvilSorcerer Pryrates after the latter is finished summoning him back into Osten Ard from his exile in undeath. At least, in this case, he has a justification: Pryrates tries to pull a [[TheStarscream Starscream]] on him but forgets that EvilIsNotAToy. And in all fairness, the Storm King did warn him that he would be [[ExactWords first among mortals]].
* The resident MagnificentBastard, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a habit of doing this to catspaws such as [[spoiler: Ser Dontos and Lady Lysa]] that had either fulfilled their purpose or become too much of a liability to his plans. 
* In ''TheWarOfTheFlowers'' Anton Hellebore does this to [[spoiler: the Remover, or [[BodySurf so he thinks]]]]. Unusually his father is very unhappy about this as [[spoiler: the Remover was not only a very useful mercenary, but also owned numerous valuable magical artifacts that Anton burned]].

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* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'', the [[PsychoForHire psycho killer]] assassin [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Teatime Mr. Teatime]] ''always'' does this, even to hostages and bribees, creeping out other guys who only "won't hesitate to kill anybody between them and some gold." He's described as being one of the rare ''literal'' examples of "someone who will kill you as soon as look at you".
** In another ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' story, ''Discworld/TheTruth'', a pair of villains plan to kill their Lord Vetinari look-alike once "his face no longer fits". Luckily, he is rescued in time.
** The villain in ''Discworld/MakingMoney'' also does this, thereby enabling Vetinari to [[RevealingCoverup deduce his plan]] from the string of bodies left behind.
** In ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'' Lord Hong has Two Fire Herb killed after he's done with the Resistance. However, because Two Fire Herb had enough foresight to ask for a promise that Hong would neither write or say an order for his execution, Lord Hong makes an origami man. Without a head.
** And in ''Discworld/{{Mort}}'', the [[TheEvilPrince Duke]] (a dab hand with poisons) catches the antidote-dosed King Olerve off-guard by simply hiring an assassin with a crossbow and a fast horse. Death assures the King's ghost that the assassin's horse isn't fast enough: [[AC: He allowed the Duke to provide him with a packed lunch]].
* In ''Literature/{{Dune}}'', Baron Vladimir Harkonnen [[IHaveYourWife has Yueh's wife kidnapped]] to coerce him into betraying the house of Atreides, then [[ReleasedToElsewhere "frees" his wife]] and [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves "reunites" him with her]], because "he [[IGaveMyWord always keeps his promises]]". (However, Yueh had [[GambitPileup already guessed the Baron's intentions and planned a posthumous revenge]].)
** In a variation, Baron Harkonnen -- after surviving an assassination attempt by his nephew and baronial heir Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen -- reaches an agreement in which he will forgive this attempt on his life if his nephew agrees to wait until the Baron feels that his heir is properly prepared to take the throne, at which time he will step aside willingly (a sort of "''I'' Have Outlived ''My'' Usefulness").
* In Literature/TheEmperorsSoul, Shai is GenreSavvy enough to know this is going to happen to her after she completes her task to Forge a new soul for the Emperor, despite promises to the contrary, and therefore plans from the start how to avoid it.

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* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Eclipse]]'', Jasper recounts his history as a member of a Vampire Newborn Army. Newborns are useful in their first year after being turned, because they are [[SuperStrength super strong]], but after their strength wanes, they are normally killed by their masters.
* BigBad Sarapen from ''LonelyWerewolfGirl'' has a human minion who is under the impression that Sarapen will [[VampireWannabe turn him into a Werewolfe]] if he performs a certain task. Since Werewolves are born not bit in these books, he gets this trope instead. [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Rewarded as a traitor to his species deserves]].
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's ConanTheBarbarian novel ''The Hour of the Dragon'', Valerius knows Amalric will kill him as soon as the trope came into play, and so works hard on TakingYouWithMe.
* In the LeftBehind prequel books, Marilena Carpathia, the mother of the future Antichrist Nicolae Carpathia, was killed off when Nicolae, still a child, was old enough to be cared for by his mentor Viv Ivins. His [[HasTwoMommies two biological fathers]], who were living together off payments from the corporation that funded the genetic project that brought forth Nicolae, were later [[BuryYourGays killed off]].
** In fact, this happens to anyone within Nicolae's close circle of friends and associates in the Global Community.
* Zandramas, the BigBad of ''[[TheBelgariad The Malloreon]]'', does this approximately fifty times in five books. Had to catch a ship? Sink it as soon as you're off. Don't need an escort any more? Break their legs and leave them for the lions. While Zandramas had a lot of bad habits, this was the one she indulged in most often.
* ''InDeath'': When there's a partnership of two bad guys, you can be reasonably sure one of them will kill the other and state this trope.
* This was mentioned as a common habit of Isane Isard in the ''XWingSeries''. If one of her agents continually succeeds, he would eventually suffer from YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness. If her agents ''fail'', however, they will either face YouHaveFailedMe or be killed by the people they were acting against. This caused loyalty issues in those subordinates smart enough to figure this out.
* In ''Blonde Genius'' by JTEdson, cat burglar Gus Saunders is ejected from a plane without a parachute when after he has served TheSyndicate's purpose by robbing Bekinsop's Academy.
* A variation in [[AsianSaga Shogun.]] [[MagnificentBastard Toranaga]] is well aware that Yabu is TheStarscream, and has in fact betrayed him at a potentially crucial time, and this is the official reason for ordering him to commit seppuku. However, Toranaga would not have done this if Yabu hadn't outlived his usefulness at the same time, since Toranaga knew he was treacherous right from the start, and made alliances with him anyway because he was useful.
* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by [[TheChick Sephrenia]] in ''[[TheTamuli The Shining Ones]]'', when she incorrectly believes she's outlived her usefulness to the other good guys.

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* ''InDeath'': When there's a partnership of two bad guys, you can be reasonably sure one of them will kill the other and state this trope.
* ''Literature/JackRyan'':
** In ''Literature/TheSumOfAllFears'', the terrorist BigBad does this twice in the course of his plot to nuke the United States. First, he has the East German nuclear physicist who helps them build their bomb executed once it's been completed. Then, he does the same thing to the American collaborator who helps them deliver it. In a memorable subversion, however, the physicist is killed before he can impart a crucial piece of information that causes the bomb's yield to be much lower than intended, providing the clue by which the U.S. is able to unravel the plot.
** Played straight in ''Dead or Alive'' by the terrorist group, who kills all but two people who worked with them while they were setting up for their attacks. The two exceptions were the prostitute hired to service the group's leader and the woman who was extracting the information from the Yucca Flats employee: the former didn't know anything that could compromise them, and the latter was deemed to be too much of a risk to kill because she might have left behind evidence to be released on her death.
* In the LeftBehind prequel books, Marilena Carpathia, the mother of the future Antichrist Nicolae Carpathia, was killed off when Nicolae, still a child, was old enough to be cared for by his mentor Viv Ivins. His [[HasTwoMommies two biological fathers]], who were living together off payments from the corporation that funded the genetic project that brought forth Nicolae, were later [[BuryYourGays killed off]].
** In fact, this happens to anyone within Nicolae's close circle of friends and associates in the Global Community.
* The resident MagnificentBastard, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a habit of doing this to catspaws such as [[spoiler: Ser Dontos and Lady Lysa]] that had either fulfilled their purpose or become too much of a liability to his plans. 
* BigBad Sarapen from ''LonelyWerewolfGirl'' has a human minion who is under the impression that Sarapen will [[VampireWannabe turn him into a Werewolfe]] if he performs a certain task. Since Werewolves are born not bit in these books, he gets this trope instead. [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Rewarded as a traitor to his species deserves]].
* In ''MemorySorrowAndThorn'', the BigBad Storm King rather casually obliterates EvilSorcerer Pryrates after the latter is finished summoning him back into Osten Ard from his exile in undeath. At least, in this case, he has a justification: Pryrates tries to pull a [[TheStarscream Starscream]] on him but forgets that EvilIsNotAToy. And in all fairness, the Storm King did warn him that he would be [[ExactWords first among mortals]].
* ''OHenri'': "Boulivard cannot carry two."
* The [[spoiler:octospiders]] in [[strike:Gentry Lee]] ArthurCClarke's sequels to ''RendezvousWithRama'' are ''good'' guys who do this. To themselves, voluntarily.
* The planet Despayre in the ''StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse, as depicted in the novel "Death Star", and before that, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSSNonaBw-8#t=2m45s the game "X-Wing"]]. (scroll to 2:45)
* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by [[TheChick Sephrenia]] in ''[[TheTamuli The Shining Ones]]'', when she incorrectly believes she's outlived her usefulness to the other good guys.
* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Eclipse]]'', Jasper recounts his history as a member of a Vampire Newborn Army. Newborns are useful in their first year after being turned, because they are [[SuperStrength super strong]], but after their strength wanes, they are normally killed by their masters.
* In JamesSwallow's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''[[Literature/BloodAngels Deus Sanguinius]]'', when Sachiel [[HeelRealization realizes the truth]], [[spoiler: Inquisitor Stele]] kills him to foment a battle, and also to get rid of him.
* In GrahamMcNeill's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/{{Ultramarines}} novel ''Nightbringer'', after Vedden and his men foment a riot, the ornithoptors they thought would extract them opened fire on them. Then Honan, whose home the attack had been launched from, complained to the conspirators, who handed him over for [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]]. Later, after de Valtos has awoken the Nightbringer, it kills him and several of the Dark Eldar, who were awakening it because they thought it would help them live forever.
* In ''TheWarOfTheFlowers'' Anton Hellebore does this to [[spoiler: the Remover, or [[BodySurf so he thinks]]]]. Unusually his father is very unhappy about this as [[spoiler: the Remover was not only a very useful mercenary, but also owned numerous valuable magical artifacts that Anton burned]].
* In the DaleBrown novel ''Warrior Class'', BigBad Pavel Kazakov threatens this some times and eventually goes through with it.
** In ''Edge of Battle'' Comandante Veracruz tries to do this to [[spoiler: Zakharov, prompting an EnemyMine.]]
* This was mentioned as a common habit of Isane Isard in the ''XWingSeries''. If one of her agents continually succeeds, he would eventually suffer from YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness. If her agents ''fail'', however, they will either face YouHaveFailedMe or be killed by the people they were acting against. This caused loyalty issues in those subordinates smart enough to figure this out.

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* In ''Series/TeenWolf'', Kate offers to team up with Derek in exchange for giving her the identity of the Alpha. When she finds out that he doesn't know anything, she more or less declares this and tries to off him.
* In the ''Series/TrueBlood'' episode "Release Me", [[BitchInSheepsClothing Maryann]] has her servant [[spoiler:Daphne]] put to death with a ritual dagger after thanking her for her efforts and service.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': [[spoiler: Jor-El's disposal of Kara]] after Clark discovers [[spoiler: she is not actually Kryptonian.]] Instead of the normal phrase, [[spoiler: he]] uses [[spoiler: "She served her purpose."]]
* The same style is used in ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', especially when it comes to civilians they kidnap that have a useful skill they can exploit. It ''always'' ends badly for the poor civilians.
** Also pulled by the heroes. Jack works with both Nina Meyers and Christopher Henderson to foil the terrorists, putting aside his desire for revenge. As soon as the terrorists are stopped or they no longer have a use, he killed them both. Both of them [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy know him]] well enough to see this coming and take steps to avoid it, but [[OutGambitted both fail]].
*** He also pulls this one last time on Dana Walsh in the final season, but with a twist. Despite Dana being one of the villains, Jack carrying this out [[spoiler: is to actually [[TheReveal reveal]] that he ''[[WhamEpisode isn't]]'' the [[VillainProtagonist hero]] this time around.]]

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* ''Series/{{Alcatraz}}'': Garrett Stillman was once betrayed by his partner in crime so now he gets rid of all his accomplices after they have fulfilled their role. [[spoiler:He's also the victim of this trope, c/o Tommy Madsen]].
* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'' plays this straight with Admiral Cain, shown in its full detail in the ''Razor'' flashback: during an attack on a Cylon staging ground, a large amount of Raiders jump in but Cain still orders her Viper compliment to launch in what is a blatant violation of her earlier promise of not sacrificing her underlings in a mad quest for revenge. Her XO calls her out on it, to lethal consequences.
-->'''Belzen:''' This is ''exactly'' what you said we wouldn't do. Even if we succeed, is this really worth the lives and planes what it'd cost?\\
'''Cain:''' Mr. Belzen, are you refusing to carry out my orders?\\
'''Belzen:''' Sir, I cannot in good conscience obey that.\\
'''Cain:''' Mr. Belzen, [[YouHaveFailedMe give me your sidearm]]...\\
'''Belzen:''' Sir?\\
'''Cain:''' ''I said'', give me your sidearm! '''NOW'''!!!\\
''(Belzen turns over his weapon, she immediately shoots him in the head with it in front of the crew)''\\
'''Fisk:''' Gods...!\\
'''Cain:''' Colonel Fisk... Colonel FISK! ''(Fisk steps up)'' [[YouAreInCommandNow You are now my XO.]]
** The original had the Cylons kill [[TheMole Bal]][[EtTuBrute tar]] after they didn't need him anymore. [[note]]They also didn't trust him. Who would trust someone who would betray their own kind?[[/note]]

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* In an episode of ''Series/ThePersuaders'', Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis) manages to [[HeelFaceTurn recruit]] an actor impersonating a dead millionaire by warning him of what might happen when his employers don't need to hide the millionaire's death anymore.
* The Sheriff of Nottingham, in the new {{BBC}} series of ''Series/RobinHood'', does this a lot.
* Subverted in ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': [[spoiler:Michael, a villain known to have a low opinion of humanity in general]] takes a gun away from [[spoiler:a clone he created]] and tells him that he's "served his purpose"... then draws his own stun weapon and uses that to shoot him. [[spoiler:It's possible he was just being cruel, though; the clone was already dying.]]
** Played completely straight, and stated word for word by a Wraith queen in regards to [[spoiler:Todd the Wraith]] in another episode.
* Subverted in ''Series/{{Farscape}}''; in an early episode, Crais nonchalantly killed a subordinate so no one else would know he had been recalled. When this was uncovered by his superiors much later, it was his downfall.
** Subverted again later. In the three-part episode "Look at the Princess", a palace servant betrays Crichton to Scorpius. Scorpius asks his lieutenant to "give her something special", and everyone expects this trope to occur. Instead, the servant dies because Crichton triggers automatic defenses. Later, we learn that Scorpius is a reasonably honorable man who treats his underlings well when they do their jobs, which means he probably ''did'' mean to give her something special.

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* Subverted in ''Series/{{Farscape}}''; in an early episode, Crais nonchalantly killed a subordinate so no one else would know he had been recalled. When this was uncovered by his superiors much later, it was his downfall.
** Subverted again later. In the three-part episode "Look at the Princess", a palace servant betrays Crichton to Scorpius. Scorpius asks his lieutenant to "give her something special", and everyone expects this trope to occur. Instead, the servant dies because Crichton triggers automatic defenses. Later, we learn that Scorpius is a reasonably honorable man who treats his underlings well when they do their jobs, which means he probably ''did'' mean to give her something special.
* Referenced in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' 
--> '''Mal:''' "They killed Heinrich? Guess he wasn't useful anymore."
* A woman kidnaps geniuses on ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' so she can get them to finish a formula. At the end, she gives the formula to a mysterious henchman, who tests it. The test successful, she has just enough time to stare in awe and exclaim it's amazing before the henchman pulls a gun and shoots her.

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* A woman kidnaps geniuses on ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' so she can get them to finish a formula. At the end, she gives the formula to a mysterious henchman, who tests it. The test successful, she has just enough time to stare in awe and exclaim it's amazing before the henchman pulls a gun and shoots her.
* In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the Dominion used the Cardassians as help in invading Alpha Quadrant. And then it switched to [[spoiler:the Breen. And it was planning to betray them, too.]]
** The Dominion is also in the habit of executing Jem'Hadar soldiers as soon as they show signs of insubordination, conscience, honour, or really anything other than fanatical devotion to the Founders.
** The ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]'' episode "Starship mine" also contains an instance of this. Kelsey, the leader of a terrorist group trying to [[EmptyQuiver steal the highly instable toxic waste of Enterprise's engine core]], shoots one of her mooks after learning from him how to remove the [[strike: uranium]] [[AppliedPhlebotinum trilithium]] from its container.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester", Samhain does this to the witch who raised him. Not a nice way to reward several ''hundred'' years of summoning.
** And in season five, the demon Crowley helps the Winchesters in trying to stop the Apocalypse because he believes [[TheDevil Lucifer]] is going to pull this trope on the demons once he's won. He's right.
** A somewhat unusual example happens in the Season 7 finale. Due to a deal, Crowley (who is now the king of hell) and his demons can't (actively) help the Winchesters fight the Leviathans. The demon Meg, who is fighting against Crowley, can. While the Winchesters don't turn on her, Crowley has his men grab her as soon as she has played her part.
* In ''TheSarahConnorChronicles'', Terminators typically dispose of human subordinates this way once their objectives are completed, usually to prevent them from talking about sensitive information. At one point, Cameron uses a man and his sister to find information on the Turk, on the promise that she would help them deal with TheMafiya goons out to kill him. However, once she has the information she abandons them to be killed, since they serve no further purpose to her, and she doesn't have anything else invested in their survival.
* [[spoiler:Ronnie]]'s final fate in ''Series/TheShield''.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'' plays this straight with Admiral Cain, shown in its full detail in the ''Razor'' flashback: during an attack on a Cylon staging ground, a large amount of Raiders jump in but Cain still orders her Viper compliment to launch in what is a blatant violation of her earlier promise of not sacrificing her underlings in a mad quest for revenge. Her XO calls her out on it, to lethal consequences.
-->'''Belzen:''' This is ''exactly'' what you said we wouldn't do. Even if we succeed, is this really worth the lives and planes what it'd cost?\\
'''Cain:''' Mr. Belzen, are you refusing to carry out my orders?\\
'''Belzen:''' Sir, I cannot in good conscience obey that.\\
'''Cain:''' Mr. Belzen, [[YouHaveFailedMe give me your sidearm]]...\\
'''Belzen:''' Sir?\\
'''Cain:''' ''I said'', give me your sidearm! '''NOW'''!!!\\
''(Belzen turns over his weapon, she immediately shoots him in the head with it in front of the crew)''\\
'''Fisk:''' Gods...!\\
'''Cain:''' Colonel Fisk... Colonel FISK! ''(Fisk steps up)'' [[YouAreInCommandNow You are now my XO.]]
** The original had the Cylons kill [[TheMole Bal]][[EtTuBrute tar]] after they didn't need him anymore. [[note]]They also didn't trust him. Who would trust someone who would betray their own kind?[[/note]]

to:

* In ''KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'', Daizujin has this attitude towards Burai following [[spoiler: "Reborn! The Ultimate God!"]]. During the Zyurangers' hibernation, Burai's body [[spoiler: got crushed by rocks]]. Daizyujin only cured him because [[spoiler: they needed six Zyurangers in order to unleash Ultimate Daizyujin]]. Unlike the others, Burai awoke with a [[DeathsHourglass magic candle]] that would cause him to die at a certain time following [[spoiler: Ultimate Daizujin's release]]. Daizyujin explained to the Zyurangers that they found it unnecessary for Burai to live beyond that event.
** Later, in ''TensouSentaiGoseiger'', it was was revealed that this was partly the reason [[spoiler: Buredoran was on every villain team: Gain knowledge from each group- Warfare from the first, magic from the second, and technology from the third- and let them all fall when he perfected them so no one could interfere in his master plan, sometimes even ''orchestrating'' the fall.]] Most notably is [[spoiler: the third group, where he manipulates the Robogog and Metal-Alice into becoming severely weakened and then personally finishing them off. Soon after, while the Goseigers start talking about why Buredoran is doing this, Buredoran is currently taking over the third group's base and talking to himself about his plan, so the viewers can start to realize that Buredoran is the TRUE BigBad and that the three groups were expendable to him. At the end of the episode and the beginning of the next, it's confirmed that this is the case.]]

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* In an episode of ''Series/ThePersuaders'', Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis) manages to [[HeelFaceTurn recruit]] an actor impersonating a dead millionaire by warning him of what might happen when his employers don't need to hide the millionaire's death anymore.
* In {{Series/Revolution}}, Monroe "Doesn't need [Rachel] anymore" because one of her former colleagues is now willing to build an amplifier the electricity pendants. She kills said colleague with a screwdriver and then remarks "[[DefiedTrope You need me now]]."
* The Sheriff of Nottingham, in the new {{BBC}} series of ''Series/RobinHood'', does this a lot.
* In ''TheSarahConnorChronicles'', Terminators typically dispose of human subordinates this way once their objectives are completed, usually to prevent them from talking about sensitive information. At one point, Cameron uses a man and his sister to find information on the Turk, on the promise that she would help them deal with TheMafiya goons out to kill him. However, once she has the information she abandons them to be killed, since they serve no further purpose to her, and she doesn't have anything else invested in their survival.

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* [[spoiler:Ronnie]]'s final fate in ''Series/TheShield''.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': [[spoiler: Jor-El's disposal of Kara]] after Clark discovers [[spoiler: she is not actually Kryptonian.]] Instead of the normal phrase, [[spoiler: he]] uses [[spoiler: "She served her purpose."]]
* Subverted in ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': [[spoiler:Michael, a villain known to have a low opinion of humanity in general]] takes a gun away from [[spoiler:a clone he created]] and tells him that he's "served his purpose"... then draws his own stun weapon and uses that to shoot him. [[spoiler:It's possible he was just being cruel, though; the clone was already dying.]]
** Played completely straight, and stated word for word by a Wraith queen in regards to [[spoiler:Todd the Wraith]] in another episode.
* In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the Dominion used the Cardassians as help in invading Alpha Quadrant. And then it switched to [[spoiler:the Breen. And it was planning to betray them, too.]]
** The Dominion is also in the habit of executing Jem'Hadar soldiers as soon as they show signs of insubordination, conscience, honour, or really anything other than fanatical devotion to the Founders.
** The ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]'' episode "Starship mine" also contains an instance of this. Kelsey, the leader of a terrorist group trying to [[EmptyQuiver steal the highly instable toxic waste of Enterprise's engine core]], shoots one of her mooks after learning from him how to remove the [[strike: uranium]] [[AppliedPhlebotinum trilithium]] from its container.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester", Samhain does this to the witch who raised him. Not a nice way to reward several ''hundred'' years of summoning.
** And in season five, the demon Crowley helps the Winchesters in trying to stop the Apocalypse because he believes [[TheDevil Lucifer]] is going to pull this trope on the demons once he's won. He's right.
** A somewhat unusual example happens in the Season 7 finale. Due to a deal, Crowley (who is now the king of hell) and his demons can't (actively) help the Winchesters fight the Leviathans. The demon Meg, who is fighting against Crowley, can. While the Winchesters don't turn on her, Crowley has his men grab her as soon as she has played her part.
* On Social Game shows such as ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this is common. Some have noticed that typically when an alliance has all their threats down or, decides to turn on each other thinking the other target(s) are of no threat, this happens to one of two people. Either the person who carried the alliance through by winning challenges or making plans, or the low-man on the totem pole who just was another vote. More often than not, it's the first.
** Russell Hantz pulled one of these every other episode (which alliance-mate Natalie White was fully aware of and used as her cover).
* In ''Series/TeenWolf'', Kate offers to team up with Derek in exchange for giving her the identity of the Alpha. When she finds out that he doesn't know anything, she more or less declares this and tries to off him.
* In the ''Series/TrueBlood'' episode "Release Me", [[BitchInSheepsClothing Maryann]] has her servant [[spoiler:Daphne]] put to death with a ritual dagger after thanking her for her efforts and service.
* The same style is used in ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', especially when it comes to civilians they kidnap that have a useful skill they can exploit. It ''always'' ends badly for the poor civilians.
** Also pulled by the heroes. Jack works with both Nina Meyers and Christopher Henderson to foil the terrorists, putting aside his desire for revenge. As soon as the terrorists are stopped or they no longer have a use, he killed them both. Both of them [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy know him]] well enough to see this coming and take steps to avoid it, but [[OutGambitted both fail]].
*** He also pulls this one last time on Dana Walsh in the final season, but with a twist. Despite Dana being one of the villains, Jack carrying this out [[spoiler: is to actually [[TheReveal reveal]] that he ''[[WhamEpisode isn't]]'' the [[VillainProtagonist hero]] this time around.]]

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* ''Series/{{Alcatraz}}'': Garrett Stillman was once betrayed by his partner in crime so now he gets rid of all his accomplices after they have fulfilled their role. [[spoiler:He's also the victim of this trope, c/o Tommy Madsen]].
* In the revival of ''Series/MissionImpossible'', an episode has such order given to an underling (paraphrased):
-->'''BigBad:''' Find the best bomb expert in the city. Have him replace the bomb detonator with this one, then kill him.
* Referenced in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' 
--> '''Mal:''' "They killed Heinrich? Guess he wasn't useful anymore."
* In {{Series/Revolution}}, Monroe "Doesn't need [Rachel] anymore" because one of her former colleagues is now willing to build an amplifier the electricity pendants. She kills said colleague with a screwdriver and then remarks "[[DefiedTrope You need me now]]."
* Jason Dean is sacrificed to {{NCIS}} after killing Colonel Bell for his real employer.
* Textbook example in ''Series/{{Merlin}}''. After a season of UnresolvedSexualTension and heavy subtext, Morgause finally gains control of Cenred's army and immediately has Cenred dispatched by one of his own men.

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* In the fourth case of AceAttorneyInvestigations, Mack Rell, after killing Deid Mann for the smuggling ring, accuses Byrne Faraday of hiring him and being the Yatagarasu ([[spoiler:he's lying about the former but correct about the latter]]). After his true client [[spoiler:Calisto Yew]] kills Byrne, he helps her rearrange the scene of the crime, then gets shot dead for his efforts.
* In ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'', Zahart has his [[LiteralGenie Djinn Tibicenas]] do away with one of his servants because they are no longer useful in his plans anymore after they have uncovered a red diamond that is actually the heart of their Chaos Beast, the Chaos Sphinx.
* ''AlphaProtocol''. The main character is recruited by Alpha Protocol and sent to Saudi Arabia to recover missiles stolen from Halbech by a terrorist leader, and kill said terrorist leader. [[spoiler:It turns out that Halbech really ''sold'' those missiles to the terrorist, and have sent you in to kill him since he's outlived his usefulness... And once you've done so they try to do the same to you, since ''you've'' outlived your usefulness and [[HeKnowsTooMuch know too much]].]]

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* There is a double case in ''[[BaldursGate Baldur's Gate 2]]''. When the characters enter the drow city, they see a drow male killing a slave (while actually saying the trope name). A moment later his mommy shows up, and kills him, saying he is much more expendable than that slave.
* In ''VideoGame/BatenKaitos'', Kalas [[spoiler:says to the Guardian Spirit (the player) "I don't need you any more!" and forcefully ejects the player out of the game, leaving the screen to fade to black.]]
* Stated almost word-for-word by [[labelnote:The Leader]] Adolf Hitler[[/labelnote]] to Killt in ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' and its UpdatedRerelease.
* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', the Joker kills [[spoiler:Frank Boles]] after helping him escape from Intensive Treatment.
* In VideoGame/{{Bomberman}} 64, after you [[spoiler: beat Altair with 100 gold cards, Sirius]] does this to you.
* This example is half of the reason why Dr. Neurosis wants Lance dead in ''VideoGame/BrainDead13'', the other half being that Lance had called him [[BoringInsult an "average mad scientist"]].
* In [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps Black Ops]], [[spoiler: After Reznov and Dimitri have captured Steiner and secured Nova 6, Dragovich uses Dimitri as a guinea pig to test Nova 6. Reznov manages to escape, but ends up in Vortuka prison.]]
* Said word-for-word in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'', by [[spoiler:Soviet Premier Cherdenko]]. You proceed to annihilate the guy after already kicking the backside of two other significant threats.
** This is foreshadowed after [[spoiler:killing General Krukov, who was Cherdenko's superior in the previous timeline. Krukov's FinalSpeech hints that Cherdenko set him up as the traitor]].
* In ''TheConduit,'' Mr. Ford is betrayed by [[spoiler: Mr. Adams, who leaves Mr. Ford to be killed by invading Drudge after gathering information from Prometheus's base]]
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' Lautrec does this to Anastacia of Astora, the Firelink Shrine Firekeeper, killing her and stealing her soul. She hasn't outlived her usefulness to you when he does this. Kingseeker Frampt says this of the remaining Lord Soul owners. You can also do this to almost every friendly NPC you meet.
* The Delete Button in DawnOfWar would instantly kill whatever unit you have selected. The only time this could ever be useful is if you built to your population cap but have not yet built one of your late game units (which are restricted in number) or if you want to change your army composition. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential Of course, you are completely free to do this for laughs]].
* In ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'', you have the choice of siding with the [[CorruptChurch Templars]] and retarding nanoaugmentation and possibly technological progress. In their ending, [[spoiler: your player character gets lynched. Due to script limitations and laziness in rendering the cutscenes, this only happens to male characters.]]

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* [[spoiler: Commander Sith]] does this to [[spoiler: Yomiel]] towards the end of ''GhostTrick''. [[spoiler: He didn't want Yomiel's services, just the Temsik Meteorite that gave him the ghost trick powers. Since he couldn't kill someone who was already dead, he simply removed the meteorite fragment from Yomiel's body and sunk the submarine, leaving Yomiel trapped at the bottom of the ocean with no way to escape by possessing another body or using the phone lines.]]
* Happens in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars: Original Generation Gaiden'', worded just this way by [[SuperRobotWarsReversal Duminuss]]. And when you beat her, the ''real'' BigBad, Dark Brain, comes out, says the same thing, and offs ''her''.
* In ''StarCraft'', Arcturus Mengsk abandons his top lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan to die at the fangs of the ravenous Zerg Swarm as soon as she ensures his ultimate victory. While Mengsk is undeniably a MagnificentBastard, this turns out to be his single greatest mistake, and it comes back to [[WomanScorned bite him in the ass]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge in a major way]].
** Sarah herself gives this treatment to two entire ''armies'' in ''Starcraft: Brood War'', including, ironically, Mengsk himself.
** In VideoGame/StarcraftIIWingsOfLiberty, [[spoiler:a peek into a possible BadFuture shows the [[EldritchAbomination Dark]] [[BiggerBad Voice]] and his Hybrids pulling this on the Zerg, exterminating them as soon as he was done using them to annihilate the Terrans and Protoss.]]
** Like most of the horrible things she did in ''Brood War'', this is invoked and defied by Sarah Kerrigan in VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm, which focus on her redemption. After their EnemyMine in the Skygear missions, [[spoiler:Stukov]] expects her to pull out this on him, only for Kerrigan to not only spare him, but [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming offers him a place in the Swarm since he has nowhere to go]]. In the Hyperion mission, Zerg ask Kerrigan if they can devour the Raiders now that they have done what they could to help, only for her to angrily forbid any attempt on their life. The trope is still played straight when Kerrigan abandons her own creation Niadra once she is done [[spoiler:eliminating the Protoss on the ship she was sent]], but considering she had been used to ShootTheDog, it is sort of understandable Kerrigan didn't want to keep her.

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* In chapter 4 of ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'', Maderas does this to [[spoiler: Etna after he forced her to betray Laharl. Fortunately, she foresaw this and her counter-plan was set into motion.]]
** Similarly, in the last chapter of the same game, MagnificentBastard / GuileHero Seraph Lamington does this to [[spoiler:Vulcanus by rewarding him with a transformation into a flower (or a frog in MakaiSenkiDisgaea, take your pick) - that also as punishment for making pacts with demons and using humans to attack innocent demons - after he has served his purpose of bringing peace between angels, demons, and humans well. This was a very satisfying punishment for Vulcanus]].
* After getting revenge against the Lord Regent in {{Dishonored}}, [[spoiler: the leaders of the Loyalist group, Corvo joined to help him, poison his drink. They do this for three reasons: 1. To completely cover their actions of plotting against the Lord Regent. 2. Leave Corvo behind to take the blame along with others who had no idea. 3. To eliminate any possible influence Corvo would have over future Empress Emily, allowing the conspirators to use her as a puppet.]] 
* ''VideoGame/DoubleSwitch'': Early on, Eddie needs your help to escape the basement he's trapped in. [[spoiler: After you free him, he goes on a rampage, and when he realizes that you are thwarting him, he will try to cut off your connection to the security system, and you will have to stop him from doing so]].
* An EvilChancellor in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is left to rot to death by Kon the Knight after he successfully [[spoiler:kidnaps your wife]]. Not a surprise, no one pities him when he dies.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'', [[spoiler:this is done to you after stage 6, when you find out that Selene wasn't LaResistance, but TheEmpire. But it might have been a bad idea to try something like that on a OneManArmy.]]
* In the ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' expansion ''Dawnguard'', [[spoiler:Vyrthur]] tells the player that since they brought Serana to him, they've outlived their usefulness, and he tries to kill them.

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* ''[[NintendoWars Advance Wars: Days of Ruin]]'': After the {{b|loodKnight}}arbarian known as The Beast is defeated in Mission 10, the game's BigBad [[LeftForDead leaves him to die]] as the experimental drugs he was injected with ravage his psyche.
** He does (or threatens to) something similar several times during the game. Considering [[NietzscheWannabe he deems human life as a waste of natural resources]] or, at best, material [[ForScience for experiments]], this is hardly surprising.
** Midway through ''Dual Strike'', Von Bolt tries to off [[spoiler:Hawke and Lash]] when their questioning of his plans surpasses their usefulness to him. This prompts their subsequent HeelFaceTurn.
* Alfonso from ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' punts his vice-captain off of his own airship and sends him plummeting to his death when Vyse and Aika invade at the start of the game. He planned to use the vice-captain as a scapegoat for allowing the Blue Rogues to board the ship (and get himself a [[KlingonPromotion cushy promotion]] for "outing the traitor"), but his boss, Galcian, sees through it and punishes him instead.
** [[spoiler:Galcian pulls this himself much later in the game on Belleza, although in a very indirect manner as he simply unleashes the continent-destroying superweapon on the continent he sent her to. This proves to be a fatal error on Galcian's part, as Belleza is late to arrive and thus escapes the blast. She proceeds to aid the heroes in planning their assault on Galcian's fortress, then personally rams her ship into his escape pod when he flees.]]
** Finally, Mendoza, the prior Grand Admiral (whom Galcian replaced) tried this on Ramirez in the latter's backstory. Ramirez is a {{tykebomb}} created for assassination and has a blade that ''can slice photons in half'', and is, not to mention, still alive when the game comes around: You work out how well that one went. It goes without saying that Galcian is ''not'' big on trying to repeat that whopper...
*** Not to mention, Galcian saw Ramirez as being like a son, decidedly ''not'' just a tool to be disposed of once he's served his purpose.
* [[spoiler:Remiel]] says almost these exact words to the party at the end of the Journey of Regeneration in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' when he attacks you. He fails.
* TheReveal of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' involves [[spoiler:Ikutsuki doing this to the party]], though the death part, at least, had a purpose: He was going to use his tools as human sacrifices to accelerate his plan. Because apparently he can't wait [[spoiler:three lousy months]]. [[SmugSnake Still fails, though]].

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* Happens a few times in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', such as with Barton Thorn (who asks you to clear some Gecko off a ridge to save his girlfriend, when in reality he just wants a haul of treasure) and Logan (who recruits you into his band of mercenaries in order to loot a town after it becomes irradiated). The player can also pull this in certain quests, such as snitching the Powder Gangers to the NCR after helping the former massacre Goodsprings.
** Elijah in the ''Dead Money'' tells you that he doesn't care what happens to your comrades once they get inside the casino, and while it's up to you whether they live or die, if it was up to him they'd all be dead. Once you've broken into the vault, he will attempt to kill you as well.
** Caesar is a variation; tribes that ally with him tend to wind up assimilated into the legion, with the worthy men press-ganged into the military and the women used as slave labor.
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'': If you tell Autumn the purifier code, he shoots you on the spot. In ''Point Lookout'', if you side with Calvert in the final main quest, he says something to this effect and activates a squad of Protectrons to kill you. 
* Sephiroth of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has this policy towards the various tatooed men that you encounter (ie. [[spoiler: victims of [[MadScientist Hojo]]'s Mako experiment]]), ruthlessly slaughtering them, among many others, after they are manipulated to joining the "reunion" in the Northern Crater. Strangely enough, [[TomatoInTheMirror this also includes the main character]].
** In the game's spinoff, DirgeofCerberus, after retrieving information for the Tsviets, Azul informs Shelke that she is "no longer required" and that "Weiss has ordered (her) termination."
* General Leo and Emperor Gestahl are offed by Kefka on two separate occasions in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. Shadow almost gets this treatment as well, but he survives and is discovered by the party when they arrive at the Floating Continent, earning them a powerful ally.
* The BigBad reveals himself and does this to [[spoiler: Jihl]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII''.
** He also inflicts a FateWorseThanDeath on a bunch of soldiers for this reason.

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* ''{{Thief}}: The Dark Project'': [[spoiler:Garrett]] almost falls victim to this after [[spoiler:delivering the Eye to Constantine, who puts out one of his eyes and leaves him for dead, trapped in a thicket of flesh-eating plants. Garrett is rescued by the Keepers.]]
* In ''ShadowHearts'', Kato's commanding officer and love interest is gunned down by Japanese soldiers when she ceases to be any use to the army high command... as Kato helplessly watches. [[spoiler:This starts the chain of events that turns him into the final BigBad of ''Covenant''.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', [[spoiler:Van]] uses these words when the villain leaves Ion and the party behind to die once [[spoiler:Luke has doomed Akzeriuth to sink into the core under his direction]]. In a subversion, the appearance of the villain's sister in the party suddenly adds a person the villain ''doesn't'' want to die into the mix -- but since she can save herself (with the minor prize that she'll save the party alongside herself) and the villain knows this, it doesn't change matters.
* General Leo and Emperor Gestahl are offed by Kefka on two separate occasions in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. Shadow almost gets this treatment as well, but he survives and is discovered by the party when they arrive at the Floating Continent, earning them a powerful ally.

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* ''TheForceUnleashed 2''. Vader decides that he has no futher use for Starkiller 2.0. Watch [[http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi347604505/ the cinematic trailer in all its glory.]] This betrayal is also a case of BondVillainStupidity.
* [[spoiler: Commander Sith]] does this to [[spoiler: Yomiel]] towards the end of ''GhostTrick''. [[spoiler: He didn't want Yomiel's services, just the Temsik Meteorite that gave him the ghost trick powers. Since he couldn't kill someone who was already dead, he simply removed the meteorite fragment from Yomiel's body and sunk the submarine, leaving Yomiel trapped at the bottom of the ocean with no way to escape by possessing another body or using the phone lines.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather 2'' there are only so many slots on your BadassCrew. Want to recruit someone better? You can mark an existing member for death, allowing you to dispose of him.
* This happens to the trio that took Gene's arm in ''GodHand''. After beating them a second time, a later cutscene in the stage has them running to another area, still upset, only for them to encounter Azel who dashes past them and turns them into dust for being worthless.
* [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Dimitri Rascalov]] attempts this several times in VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV. After Niko offs his AxCrazy business partner on Dimtri's orders, Dimitri tries to sell Niko out to Bulgarin, a crime boss with a grudge against Niko, which results in a shootout in a warehouse. If Niko later agrees to assist Dimitri in a drug deal, Dimitri sends a hitman to Roman's cousin's wedding, who tries to shoot Niko, but ends up killing Roman instead.
* In KidIcarusUprising, after [[spoiler: Medusa saves Pit from Hades' OneHitKill attack and Hades states that he will revive her as many times as he desires, he]] tells [[spoiler: her]] "But you've worn out your usefulness!" before permanently destroying [[spoiler: her]].
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'': Following [[spoiler: Sora's HeroicSacrifice]], the game's BigBad, [[spoiler:Ansem, appears out of nowhere and is about to pull this one on Kairi, but Riku holds him back long enough to let her escape with the others]].
** Rather similarly, in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' it's [=DiZ=] who orders the 'disposal' of Namine after she completes her assigned task; an order he probably wouldn't give if she [[MoralMyopia wasn't a Nobody]]. Sora's own usefulness to the Organization's EvilPlan eventually expires as well, which goes about as well as you'd expect.
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' Aqua is in the same boat. Her role in ThePlan is to just succeed at the Master exam while Terra doesn't to make him feel inferior and rush off half cocked. This happens in the first 10 minutes of the plot [[spoiler:and the rest of her story arc is the BigBad sending her into danger and later sending his Dragon to personally finish her off. But she's made Master rank for a reason and refuses to die. Eventually she winds up screwing the whole Gambit just by being an extra person who wasn't expected to be around for the final stages]].
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'', [[spoiler: Xemnas tried to confront Roxas and Xion by casting an illusion where both of them thought they were facing an Heartless with the expectation one would kill the other. All this because he wanted a full-powered Sora clone rather than two half-powered ones.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro: Dawn of the Dragon'', Malefor does this to the apes by giving them a FateWorseThanDeath as a reward for freeing him from his prison.

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* In [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]], the Shroob Princess ([[spoiler:the younger one]]), declares that Peach is useless after the brothers break her out of her force field and tries to finish her off, but the brothers fight and defeat her.
* At the end of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', [[spoiler: Harbinger]] delivers this line to the Collector General, for the crime of letting Shepard blow up the Collector Base and [[spoiler: Reaper prototype]].
** Reapers in general do this to all their indoctrinated slaves, since their ultimate goal is wiping out all advanced species.
** In VideoGame/MassEffect3 [[spoiler: the Illusive Man]]'s new antagonism towards Shepard is apparently a case of this, [[spoiler: though in fact it's because he's indoctrinated]].
*** Although it's also a case of Shepard refusing to accept anything other than wiping out the Reapers [[spoiler: Until the end where s/he learns it's not quite that simple.]] Persumably if Shepard were on board with his plan, s/he'd have Kai Leng's job.
* At the start of ''[[{{Mercenaries}} Mercenaries 2: World In Flames]]'', the player is working for Ramon Solano, a CorruptCorporateExecutive who's friend, a Venezuelan General, is being held for treason. After breaking out the General, Solano decides to kill you before he starts his coup. After many explosions, Oil Rig explosions, castle explosions, and a war between the US and China (with explosions), and TWO nuclear explosions, the Merc finally catches up to Solano. Memo to all would-be dictators; don't piss off a [[SociopathicHero Sociopathic Norwegian]], ScaryBlackMan, or [[LadyOfWar High Class British Military Contractor]].
* In ''ModernWarfare 2'', [[spoiler: General Shepherd shoots his subordinates, Roach and Ghost, after they retrieve intel on Makarov, then has his Shadow Company goons douse the bodies in kerosene, which he personally ignites. [[TearJerker Oh, and you see all of this through Roach's eyes]] A rare case of this being done to Unwitting Pawns, not Mooks]].
** [[spoiler: Shepherd doesn't care much for Shadow Company either- after Soap and Price breach SC's command base, Shepherd blows the whole place up.]]

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* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'': Following [[spoiler: Sora's HeroicSacrifice]], the game's BigBad, [[spoiler:Ansem, appears out of nowhere and is about to pull this one on Kairi, but Riku holds him back long enough to let her escape with the others]].
** Rather similarly, in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' it's [=DiZ=] who orders the 'disposal' of Namine after she completes her assigned task; an order he probably wouldn't give if she [[MoralMyopia wasn't a Nobody]]. Sora's own usefulness to the Organization's EvilPlan eventually expires as well, which goes about as well as you'd expect.
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' Aqua is in the same boat. Her role in ThePlan is to just succeed at the Master exam while Terra doesn't to make him feel inferior and rush off half cocked. This happens in the first 10 minutes of the plot [[spoiler:and the rest of her story arc is the BigBad sending her into danger and later sending his Dragon to personally finish her off. But she's made Master rank for a reason and refuses to die. Eventually she winds up screwing the whole Gambit just by being an extra person who wasn't expected to be around for the final stages]].
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'', [[spoiler: Xemnas tried to confront Roxas and Xion by casting an illusion where both of them thought they were facing an Heartless with the expectation one would kill the other. All this because he wanted a full-powered Sora clone rather than two half-powered ones.]]

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* TheReveal of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' involves [[spoiler:Ikutsuki doing this to the party]], though the death part, at least, had a purpose: He was going to use his tools as human sacrifices to accelerate his plan. Because apparently he can't wait [[spoiler:three lousy months]]. [[SmugSnake Still fails, though]].
* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', [[spoiler:The Practical Incarnation]] inverted this trope by manipulating someone into falling in love with and dying for him. ThePowerOfLove kept her bound to him even after death and her ghost remained an integral part of his plan: She did not 'outlive her usefulness' so much as 'even in death, she still serves'. [[spoiler:While The Practical Incarnation is long gone, Deionarra keeps haunting and attempting to guide the incarnations of The Nameless One, unable to leave him even if he no longer remembers her.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'', [=GlaDOS=] decides to kill Chell after she has all the testing data she needs. In a massive oven, no less.
** In VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}, [[spoiler:Wheatley]] also tries this as soon as he can replace Chell with robotic test subjects.
* Subverted in ''PsychoWaluigi''. After Waluigi frees Psycho Iris, the latter says he is about to do this, but then he follows it up by saying, "...JUST KIDDING! I only said that 'cause you were expecting me to, and I didn't want to dissapoint."
* In the Total Conversion "Malice" for {{Quake}}, this happens to the protagonist mid-plot. The BigBad ambushes him just when he tries to figure out why he still hasn't been paid for his job.
* This is one of the main M.O.s for the [[ReligionOfEvil Order of Zugzwang]], the main villains of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV''. The slaves forced to build their colossal temple in the human world? Killed to cover their tracks. [[spoiler:The EvilChancellor who hands over your wife to TheDragon? Promptly murdered.]] Not even their own are safe from this treatment. [[spoiler:King Korol, a high ranking Order official who was in charge of the aforementioned temple, is casually tossed aside by [[BigBad Nimzo]] after he fulfills his final duty.]]
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'', Albert Wesker does this to [[spoiler:Excella]] near the end of the game. During the final confrontation, Chris mocks Wesker's tendency to do this to his allies by noting that Wesker is all alone with his back to a wall.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'', [[spoiler:Iris destroys her own father with a Blitzstrahl attack from behind him after he is defeated by the player's character (Spiritia or Grolla, to be precise) because he wasn't useful in her plans anymore]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Graf Sepperin''': (As he gets struck from behind by Iris' Blitzstrahl attack) GAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! (he burns away)]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Iris''': What a useless old man.]]
** [[spoiler:She would've done the same to Tia if not for her friend Freu interfering with a massive ice attack that freezes her one last attack with it]].
--->[[spoiler:'''Iris''': I really must thank you for being such quality entertainment. Unfortunately, I have no further use for you, so... Please die.]]
* In ''{{Section 8}}: Prejudice'' Salvador disposes of [[spoiler: Thorne]] when the latter is cornered by 1st Recon.
* In ''ShadowHearts'', Kato's commanding officer and love interest is gunned down by Japanese soldiers when she ceases to be any use to the army high command... as Kato helplessly watches. [[spoiler:This starts the chain of events that turns him into the final BigBad of ''Covenant''.]]
* In ''VideoGame/ShogoMobileArmorDivision'', if Sanjuro agrees to help Ryo in exchange for his support in saving Kura, after completing the task, Ryo says "Thanks for the assistance, Commander. You're no longer useful to me. Sorry to leave you hanging," then deactivates the energy bridge leading to the area the Sanjuro is in, forcing him to get back to the main part of the building an air intake chute.
* Alfonso from ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' punts his vice-captain off of his own airship and sends him plummeting to his death when Vyse and Aika invade at the start of the game. He planned to use the vice-captain as a scapegoat for allowing the Blue Rogues to board the ship (and get himself a [[KlingonPromotion cushy promotion]] for "outing the traitor"), but his boss, Galcian, sees through it and punishes him instead.
** [[spoiler:Galcian pulls this himself much later in the game on Belleza, although in a very indirect manner as he simply unleashes the continent-destroying superweapon on the continent he sent her to. This proves to be a fatal error on Galcian's part, as Belleza is late to arrive and thus escapes the blast. She proceeds to aid the heroes in planning their assault on Galcian's fortress, then personally rams her ship into his escape pod when he flees.]]
** Finally, Mendoza, the prior Grand Admiral (whom Galcian replaced) tried this on Ramirez in the latter's backstory. Ramirez is a {{tykebomb}} created for assassination and has a blade that ''can slice photons in half'', and is, not to mention, still alive when the game comes around: You work out how well that one went. It goes without saying that Galcian is ''not'' big on trying to repeat that whopper...
*** Not to mention, Galcian saw Ramirez as being like a son, decidedly ''not'' just a tool to be disposed of once he's served his purpose.

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* In ''StarCraft'', Arcturus Mengsk abandons his top lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan to die at the fangs of the ravenous Zerg Swarm as soon as she ensures his ultimate victory. While Mengsk is undeniably a MagnificentBastard, this turns out to be his single greatest mistake, and it comes back to [[WomanScorned bite him in the ass]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge in a major way]].
** Sarah herself gives this treatment to two entire ''armies'' in ''Starcraft: Brood War'', including, ironically, Mengsk himself.
** In VideoGame/StarcraftIIWingsOfLiberty, [[spoiler:a peek into a possible BadFuture shows the [[EldritchAbomination Dark]] [[BiggerBad Voice]] and his Hybrids pulling this on the Zerg, exterminating them as soon as he was done using them to annihilate the Terrans and Protoss.]]
** Like most of the horrible things she did in ''Brood War'', this is invoked and defied by Sarah Kerrigan in VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm, which focus on her redemption. After their EnemyMine in the Skygear missions, [[spoiler:Stukov]] expects her to pull out this on him, only for Kerrigan to not only spare him, but [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming offers him a place in the Swarm since he has nowhere to go]]. In the Hyperion mission, Zerg ask Kerrigan if they can devour the Raiders now that they have done what they could to help, only for her to angrily forbid any attempt on their life. The trope is still played straight when Kerrigan abandons her own creation Niadra once she is done [[spoiler:eliminating the Protoss on the ship she was sent]], but considering she had been used to ShootTheDog, it is sort of understandable Kerrigan didn't want to keep her.
* M.Bison on ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha 3'' does this to the Dolls at their endings.
* This, crossed with YouHaveFailedMe, starts the plot of the NES VideoGame/{{Strider}} game - Strider Hiryu is informed that Strider Kain was captured by the enemy. Just when you think you're being sent to rescue him... "As his identity is now known, rescue is not an option. Kill him! That is all." Needless to say, Hiryu's not about to kill a comrade on some computer screen's say-so, and heads out to find more information...
* Happens in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars: Original Generation Gaiden'', worded just this way by [[SuperRobotWarsReversal Duminuss]]. And when you beat her, the ''real'' BigBad, Dark Brain, comes out, says the same thing, and offs ''her''.

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* In ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'', you have the choice of siding with the [[CorruptChurch Templars]] and retarding nanoaugmentation and possibly technological progress. In their ending, [[spoiler: your player character gets lynched. Due to script limitations and laziness in rendering the cutscenes, this only happens to male characters.]]
* Sephiroth of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has this policy towards the various tatooed men that you encounter (ie. [[spoiler: victims of [[MadScientist Hojo]]'s Mako experiment]]), ruthlessly slaughtering them, among many others, after they are manipulated to joining the "reunion" in the Northern Crater. Strangely enough, [[TomatoInTheMirror this also includes the main character]].
** In the game's spinoff, DirgeofCerberus, after retrieving information for the Tsviets, Azul informs Shelke that she is "no longer required" and that "Weiss has ordered (her) termination."
* The BigBad reveals himself and does this to [[spoiler: Jihl]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII''.
** He also inflicts a FateWorseThanDeath on a bunch of soldiers for this reason.
* M.Bison on ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha 3'' does this to the Dolls at their endings.
* In ''TheConduit,'' Mr. Ford is betrayed by [[spoiler: Mr. Adams, who leaves Mr. Ford to be killed by invading Drudge after gathering information from Prometheus's base]]
* At the start of ''[[{{Mercenaries}} Mercenaries 2: World In Flames]]'', the player is working for Ramon Solano, a CorruptCorporateExecutive who's friend, a Venezuelan General, is being held for treason. After breaking out the General, Solano decides to kill you before he starts his coup. After many explosions, Oil Rig explosions, castle explosions, and a war between the US and China (with explosions), and TWO nuclear explosions, the Merc finally catches up to Solano. Memo to all would-be dictators; don't piss off a [[SociopathicHero Sociopathic Norwegian]], ScaryBlackMan, or [[LadyOfWar High Class British Military Contractor]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'', [[spoiler:this is done to you after stage 6, when you find out that Selene wasn't LaResistance, but TheEmpire. But it might have been a bad idea to try something like that on a OneManArmy.]]
* There is a double case in ''[[BaldursGate Baldur's Gate 2]]''. When the characters enter the drow city, they see a drow male killing a slave (while actually saying the trope name). A moment later his mommy shows up, and kills him, saying he is much more expendable than that slave.

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* ''TheForceUnleashed 2''. Vader decides that he has no futher use for Starkiller 2.0. Watch [[http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi347604505/ the cinematic trailer in all its glory.]] This betrayal is also a case of BondVillainStupidity.
* ''AlphaProtocol''. The main character is recruited by Alpha Protocol and sent to Saudi Arabia to recover missiles stolen from Halbech by a terrorist leader, and kill said terrorist leader. [[spoiler:It turns out that Halbech really ''sold'' those missiles to the terrorist, and have sent you in to kill him since he's outlived his usefulness... And once you've done so they try to do the same to you, since ''you've'' outlived your usefulness and [[HeKnowsTooMuch know too much]].]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'', [[spoiler:Iris destroys her own father with a Blitzstrahl attack from behind him after he is defeated by the player's character (Spiritia or Grolla, to be precise) because he wasn't useful in her plans anymore]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Graf Sepperin''': (As he gets struck from behind by Iris' Blitzstrahl attack) GAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! (he burns away)]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Iris''': What a useless old man.]]
** [[spoiler:She would've done the same to Tia if not for her friend Freu interfering with a massive ice attack that freezes her one last attack with it]].
--->[[spoiler:'''Iris''': I really must thank you for being such quality entertainment. Unfortunately, I have no further use for you, so... Please die.]]
* After the Shadow Queen [[spoiler: possesses Peach]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', Grodus attempts to order her around- not exactly the smartest move, considering her [[EldritchAbomination nature]]. She proceeds to blast him with lightning. [[spoiler: He got better.]]
* In ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'', Zahart has his [[LiteralGenie Djinn Tibicenas]] do away with one of his servants because they are no longer useful in his plans anymore after they have uncovered a red diamond that is actually the heart of their Chaos Beast, the Chaos Sphinx.
* In chapter 4 of ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'', Maderas does this to [[spoiler: Etna after he forced her to betray Laharl. Fortunately, she foresaw this and her counter-plan was set into motion.]]
** Similarly, in the last chapter of the same game, MagnificentBastard / GuileHero Seraph Lamington does this to [[spoiler:Vulcanus by rewarding him with a transformation into a flower (or a frog in MakaiSenkiDisgaea, take your pick) - that also as punishment for making pacts with demons and using humans to attack innocent demons - after he has served his purpose of bringing peace between angels, demons, and humans well. This was a very satisfying punishment for Vulcanus]].
* Happens a few times in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', such as with Barton Thorn (who asks you to clear some Gecko off a ridge to save his girlfriend, when in reality he just wants a haul of treasure) and Logan (who recruits you into his band of mercenaries in order to loot a town after it becomes irradiated). The player can also pull this in certain quests, such as snitching the Powder Gangers to the NCR after helping the former massacre Goodsprings.
** Elijah in the ''Dead Money'' tells you that he doesn't care what happens to your comrades once they get inside the casino, and while it's up to you whether they live or die, if it was up to him they'd all be dead. Once you've broken into the vault, he will attempt to kill you as well.
** Caesar is a variation; tribes that ally with him tend to wind up assimilated into the legion, with the worthy men press-ganged into the military and the women used as slave labor.
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'': If you tell Autumn the purifier code, he shoots you on the spot. In ''Point Lookout'', if you side with Calvert in the final main quest, he says something to this effect and activates a squad of Protectrons to kill you. 
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro: Dawn of the Dragon'', Malefor does this to the apes by giving them a FateWorseThanDeath as a reward for freeing him from his prison.
* ''VideoGame/DoubleSwitch'': Early on, Eddie needs your help to escape the basement he's trapped in. [[spoiler: After you free him, he goes on a rampage, and when he realizes that you are thwarting him, he will try to cut off your connection to the security system, and you will have to stop him from doing so]].
* An EvilChancellor in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is left to rot to death by Kon the Knight after he successfully [[spoiler:kidnaps your wife]]. Not a surprise, no one pities him when he dies.
* Subverted in ''PsychoWaluigi''. After Waluigi frees Psycho Iris, the latter says he is about to do this, but then he follows it up by saying, "...JUST KIDDING! I only said that 'cause you were expecting me to, and I didn't want to dissapoint."
* At the end of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', [[spoiler: Harbinger]] delivers this line to the Collector General, for the crime of letting Shepard blow up the Collector Base and [[spoiler: Reaper prototype]].
** Reapers in general do this to all their indoctrinated slaves, since their ultimate goal is wiping out all advanced species.
** In VideoGame/MassEffect3 [[spoiler: the Illusive Man]]'s new antagonism towards Shepard is apparently a case of this, [[spoiler: though in fact it's because he's indoctrinated]].
*** Although it's also a case of Shepard refusing to accept anything other than wiping out the Reapers [[spoiler: Until the end where s/he learns it's not quite that simple.]] Persumably if Shepard were on board with his plan, s/he'd have Kai Leng's job.
* In the fourth case of AceAttorneyInvestigations, Mack Rell, after killing Deid Mann for the smuggling ring, accuses Byrne Faraday of hiring him and being the Yatagarasu ([[spoiler:he's lying about the former but correct about the latter]]). After his true client [[spoiler:Calisto Yew]] kills Byrne, he helps her rearrange the scene of the crime, then gets shot dead for his efforts.
* In the Total Conversion "Malice" for {{Quake}}, this happens to the protagonist mid-plot. The BigBad ambushes him just when he tries to figure out why he still hasn't been paid for his job.
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'', Albert Wesker does this to [[spoiler:Excella]] near the end of the game. During the final confrontation, Chris mocks Wesker's tendency to do this to his allies by noting that Wesker is all alone with his back to a wall.
* In ''{{Section 8}}: Prejudice'' Salvador disposes of [[spoiler: Thorne]] when the latter is cornered by 1st Recon.
* [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Dimitri Rascalov]] attempts this several times in VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV. After Niko offs his AxCrazy business partner on Dimtri's orders, Dimitri tries to sell Niko out to Bulgarin, a crime boss with a grudge against Niko, which results in a shootout in a warehouse. If Niko later agrees to assist Dimitri in a drug deal, Dimitri sends a hitman to Roman's cousin's wedding, who tries to shoot Niko, but ends up killing Roman instead.
* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather 2'' there are only so many slots on your BadassCrew. Want to recruit someone better? You can mark an existing member for death, allowing you to dispose of him.
* This happens to the trio that took Gene's arm in ''GodHand''. After beating them a second time, a later cutscene in the stage has them running to another area, still upset, only for them to encounter Azel who dashes past them and turns them into dust for being worthless.
* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', [[spoiler:The Practical Incarnation]] inverted this trope by manipulating someone into falling in love with and dying for him. ThePowerOfLove kept her bound to him even after death and her ghost remained an integral part of his plan: She did not 'outlive her usefulness' so much as 'even in death, she still serves'. [[spoiler:While The Practical Incarnation is long gone, Deionarra keeps haunting and attempting to guide the incarnations of The Nameless One, unable to leave him even if he no longer remembers her.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' Lautrec does this to Anastacia of Astora, the Firelink Shrine Firekeeper, killing her and stealing her soul. She hasn't outlived her usefulness to you when he does this. Kingseeker Frampt says this of the remaining Lord Soul owners. You can also do this to almost every friendly NPC you meet.
* In [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps Black Ops]], [[spoiler: After Reznov and Dimitri have captured Steiner and secured Nova 6, Dragovich uses Dimitri as a guinea pig to test Nova 6. Reznov manages to escape, but ends up in Vortuka prison.]]
* This, crossed with YouHaveFailedMe, starts the plot of the NES VideoGame/{{Strider}} game - Strider Hiryu is informed that Strider Kain was captured by the enemy. Just when you think you're being sent to rescue him... "As his identity is now known, rescue is not an option. Kill him! That is all." Needless to say, Hiryu's not about to kill a comrade on some computer screen's say-so, and heads out to find more information...
* This example is half of the reason why Dr. Neurosis wants Lance dead in ''VideoGame/BrainDead13'', the other half being that Lance had called him [[BoringInsult an "average mad scientist"]].
* After getting revenge against the Lord Regent in {{Dishonored}}, [[spoiler: the leaders of the Loyalist group, Corvo joined to help him, poison his drink. They do this for three reasons: 1. To completely cover their actions of plotting against the Lord Regent. 2. Leave Corvo behind to take the blame along with others who had no idea. 3. To eliminate any possible influence Corvo would have over future Empress Emily, allowing the conspirators to use her as a puppet.]] 
* In KidIcarusUprising, after [[spoiler: Medusa saves Pit from Hades' OneHitKill attack and Hades states that he will revive her as many times as he desires, he]] tells [[spoiler: her]] "But you've worn out your usefulness!" before permanently destroying [[spoiler: her]].
* In the ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' expansion ''Dawnguard'', [[spoiler:Vyrthur]] tells the player that since they brought Serana to him, they've outlived their usefulness, and he tries to kill them.
* The Delete Button in DawnOfWar would instantly kill whatever unit you have selected. The only time this could ever be useful is if you built to your population cap but have not yet built one of your late game units (which are restricted in number) or if you want to change your army composition. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential Of course, you are completely free to do this for laughs]].

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* In ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic'', The Dr. Claw-style unseen villain [[http://www.bmoviecomic.com/index.php?cid=469 rewards]] one of his mooks.
* In ''{{Drowtales}}'', Quain'tana gives Syphile a warning that she has "[[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=5043 outlived your purpose [raising Ariel] and my patience]]" and effectively banishes her. The threat to kill her is not explicitly said (and considering [[AbusiveParents the end result]] of her raising Ariel, it was more of a YouHaveFailedMe anyway), but it's definitely there.
** [[spoiler:And she recently made good on it, though Syphile attacked ''her'' first rather than the other way around.]]
* Black Mage from ''WebComic/EightBitTheater'' was always a fan of Chaos and made [[CardCarryingVillain no attempts to hide it]]. [[spoiler:Once Chaos himself shows up, he makes it clear that he intends to slaughter BM as well as everything else.]]
* Subverted in ''ErrantStory'', where it's the ''good guys'' (or at least the antihero) who invoke the trope (by [[http://www.errantstory.com/2005-08-08/398 name]]) to dispose of bandit Jim after Sarine coerces him into revealing the location of the bandit camp. Sarine herself is perfectly happy to have the guy go off to the PowersThatBe and turn himself in, but Jon prefers a more ... direct ... approach.
* In ''EverydayHeroes'', Wrecking Paul is [[spoiler: a serial killer preying on women, as well as]] a thief. When faced with Mr. Mighty [[spoiler: instead of the female hero he was expecting]], he [[MoralEventHorizon turns on his accomplice]]. [[spoiler:Apparently he goes through a lot of them.]]
* In an amusing moment of GenreSavvy ([[GeniusDitz for him]]), Otacon from ''TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'' uses Sniper Wolf as an intermediary to tell Liquid that he's finished modifying Metal Gear to fire nukes, stating that he suspects Liquid will adhere to this trope and kill him the moment he finds out. [[ForegoneConclusion Obviously]], it doesn't happen.
* In MitadakeSaga, Keiichi [[spoiler: kills both Kazu and Yuki after they've finished all the testing of the Death Note and are unable to provide him with names respectively]]

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* In an amusing moment of GenreSavvy ([[GeniusDitz for him]]), Otacon from ''TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'' uses Sniper Wolf as an intermediary to tell Liquid that he's finished modifying Metal Gear to fire nukes, stating that he suspects Liquid will adhere to this trope and kill him the moment he finds out. [[ForegoneConclusion Obviously]], it doesn't happen.
* In ''EverydayHeroes'', Wrecking Paul is [[spoiler: a serial killer preying on women, as well as]] a thief. When faced with Mr. Mighty [[spoiler: instead of the female hero he was expecting]], he [[MoralEventHorizon turns on his accomplice]]. [[spoiler:Apparently he goes through a lot of them.]]
* In ''{{Drowtales}}'', Quain'tana gives Syphile a warning that she has "[[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=5043 outlived your purpose [raising Ariel] and my patience]]" and effectively banishes her. The threat to kill her is not explicitly said (and considering [[AbusiveParents the end result]] of her raising Ariel, it was more of a YouHaveFailedMe anyway), but it's definitely there.
** [[spoiler:And she recently made good on it, though Syphile attacked ''her'' first rather than the other way around.]]
* Black Mage from ''WebComic/EightBitTheater'' was always a fan of Chaos and made [[CardCarryingVillain no attempts to hide it]]. [[spoiler:Once Chaos himself shows up, he makes it clear that he intends to slaughter BM as well as everything else.]]
* Subverted in ''ErrantStory'', where it's the ''good guys'' (or at least the antihero) who invoke the trope (by [[http://www.errantstory.com/2005-08-08/398 name]]) to dispose of bandit Jim after Sarine coerces him into revealing the location of the bandit camp. Sarine herself is perfectly happy to have the guy go off to the PowersThatBe and turn himself in, but Jon prefers a more ... direct ... approach.
* In MitadakeSaga, Keiichi [[spoiler: kills both Kazu and Yuki after they've finished all the testing of the Death Note and are unable to provide him with names respectively]]
* In ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic'', The Dr. Claw-style unseen villain [[http://www.bmoviecomic.com/index.php?cid=469 rewards]] one of his mooks.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'', Shendu did this to Valmont and the Enforcers after getting all of his talismans. Later in season 2, he no longer needed Finn, Ratso, and Chow to carry the Pan'Ku box and sends them out (it is notable, though, that he lets them live at all, presumably because they actually did what they were supposed to do). Shendu tries to do this to Hak Foo, but Valmont wouldn't allow him. However, Shendu soon figured out he had invoked the trope too soon, as he still needed the box, even if just to delay his sibling's wrath.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' episode "The Riddle of the Gold", a villainous maharaja working with Dr. Zin on a fake gold mine makes the big mistake of mentioning that he will be sharing the ill-gotten gains with Zin. At that statement, Zin casually orders his lackey to implement Phase 2 of his plan. When the Maharajah asks for a light and asks what Zin is referring to, the lackey suddenly hits the Maharajah with a hidden spring-loaded poison needle in his lighter to kill him since he is not needed anymore.
* This occurs in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' where most of the main villains team up to revive Brainiac at Lex Luthor's command. When it turns out to be Darkseid instead, the evil alien rewards their efforts by killing almost all of them.
-->'''Darkseid:''' It would appear that I have you to thank for my resurrection. Though your planet will suffer slowly, I grant you the mercy of a quick death.
* Xanatos tries this on the ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' in the series' opening after his initial plan has succeeded. It doesn't work.
* Typhonus lays it out fairly openly in ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'' when asked about Barca, a traitor Pirate helping the Neosapiens in return for Pirate dominion over Venus: "All of Venus Barca will ever see is a six-foot hole in the ground."
** Ironically, Typhonus himself had been on the receiving end of such earlier (He got better because of CloningBlues).

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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' had an episode where Inque, a powerful shapeshifter whose body was falling apart, was freed from prison, given a place to hide out and helped to have her body's cohesion restored by a slightly stalkerish guy who had worked at the prison. While the guy WAS annoying and probably creepy to be around it still doesn't forgive Inque taking his request, to be given powers similar to hers, and twisting it by only giving him half the abilities. In a rather nasty case of BodyHorror the guy now has a body similar to Inque in that its formless and maleable, but he lacks the ability to control it.
* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' season 2: Once Darkar has the four pieces of [[ArtifactOfDoom the codex]] and Dark Bloom at his side, he makes clear that he doesn't need the Trix anymore by tossing them into a black hole. That decision bites him in the ass not much later...
* Trigon does this to Slade during the fourth season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. [[spoiler: Subverted in that Slade saw it coming, acquired a magical artifact that protected him from the worst of Trigon's wrath, and managed to survive. He spends the rest of the finale [[EnemyMine helping the Titans]] take Trigon down]].
* White Knight, a good guy (relatively), in the series ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' implies to Agent Six that he will do this to Rex if the teenager refuses to obey orders.
* Subverted in the pilot episode "The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay" of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''. The BigBad is getting some acupuncture when his {{mook}} comes in and tells him that Doctor Venture is unveiling a new invention. Having received this information, the BigBad grabs some acupuncture needles out of his body and throws them at the mook, seemingly killing him. As the BigBad is reading the newspaper article about Doctor Venture, the mook speaks up and the BigBad looks up from the paper to see the mook thanking him for curing his shoulder pain and also his smoking habit.
* Hack and Slash of ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'' get this treatment during season 3, despite never having been useful in the first place. Megabyte is sick of their incompetence and sends them to the front lines [[UriahGambit solely to get rid of them]].
* In ''Franchise/{{Transformers}},'' Megatron's character uses this trope on a regular basis - the 'cons all know it and he has said it word for word on more than one occasion.
** He is so notorious for this that in G1, the Insecticons once rationalised he can't have been the one to betray them because he still had a use for them - they added right to his face that they wouldn't be surprised if he did so later, and he didn't bother to deny it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Bruce Wayne narrowly avoids this trope with Braniac thanks to [[MakesSenseInContext Superman disguised as Batman]]. Bruno Mannheim didn't turn out so lucky with Darkseid.

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* In the 1992 ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'' cartoon, Zaladane says exactly this to Sauron in the episode "Savage Land, Strange Heart Part 2." It doesn't work out well for her.
* Chris [=McLean=] says this word-for-word Owen in the fourth season of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'', when the latter asks why he and the cast of the first three seasons aren't competing this time. Then Chris has him blown up.
* Attempted by Long Feng in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. After Azula helps him stage a coup against the Earth King, he orders his Dai Li agents to arrest her. However, Azula turns the tables by revealing that the Dai Li work for her now and, in fact, ''she'' has no further use for ''him''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', when Silas is critically injured, a team of MECH scientists saves him by [[spoiler: connecting him to Breakdown's lifeless body]]. He thanks them for their dedication and service...then kills them and leaves to [[spoiler: join with the Decepticons.]]
** Which makes it all the more ironic and satisfying, when in the same episode, the tactical advantage which Silas offered [[spoiler: to Megatron]] goes up in smoke, and he is handed over [[spoiler: to Knock-Out's dissection table for further study.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Kroloteans who are under The Lights employ are killed off by them, in favor of their new partner The Reach.
* ''WesternAnimation/InchHighPrivateEye'': A scientist working for Mr. Finkerton developed a mechanical flea that could make detectives unnecessary. When it was stolen, Finkerton tasked Inch High with finding it, claiming Inch High would be fired if he failed and that, if he succeeded, he'd fired anyway because Finkerton would no longer need him.
* Subverted in ''TheLittleDrummerBoy'', Ben Haramad sells Aaron's camel after one of those used by the Three Kings falls under the load it's carrying. A disgusted Aaron rejects the final pay from that sale and storms off. When Ali tries to go after him, Ben Haramad tells him that Aaron is free to go ''because'' he had outlived his usefulness.
-->'''Ben Haramad''': Let him go. ''We're done with him.''

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* Typhonus lays it out fairly openly in ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'' when asked about Barca, a traitor Pirate helping the Neosapiens in return for Pirate dominion over Venus: "All of Venus Barca will ever see is a six-foot hole in the ground."
** Ironically, Typhonus himself had been on the receiving end of such earlier (He got better because of CloningBlues).
* Xanatos tries this on the ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' in the series' opening after his initial plan has succeeded. It doesn't work.
* White Knight, a good guy (relatively), in the series ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' implies to Agent Six that he will do this to Rex if the teenager refuses to obey orders.
* ''WesternAnimation/InchHighPrivateEye'': A scientist working for Mr. Finkerton developed a mechanical flea that could make detectives unnecessary. When it was stolen, Finkerton tasked Inch High with finding it, claiming Inch High would be fired if he failed and that, if he succeeded, he'd fired anyway because Finkerton would no longer need him.
* In ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'', Shendu did this to Valmont and the Enforcers after getting all of his talismans. Later in season 2, he no longer needed Finn, Ratso, and Chow to carry the Pan'Ku box and sends them out (it is notable, though, that he lets them live at all, presumably because they actually did what they were supposed to do). Shendu tries to do this to Hak Foo, but Valmont wouldn't allow him. However, Shendu soon figured out he had invoked the trope too soon, as he still needed the box, even if just to delay his sibling's wrath.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' episode "The Riddle of the Gold", a villainous maharaja working with Dr. Zin on a fake gold mine makes the big mistake of mentioning that he will be sharing the ill-gotten gains with Zin. At that statement, Zin casually orders his lackey to implement Phase 2 of his plan. When the Maharajah asks for a light and asks what Zin is referring to, the lackey suddenly hits the Maharajah with a hidden spring-loaded poison needle in his lighter to kill him since he is not needed anymore.
* This occurs in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' where most of the main villains team up to revive Brainiac at Lex Luthor's command. When it turns out to be Darkseid instead, the evil alien rewards their efforts by killing almost all of them.
-->'''Darkseid:''' It would appear that I have you to thank for my resurrection. Though your planet will suffer slowly, I grant you the mercy of a quick death.
* Subverted in ''TheLittleDrummerBoy'', Ben Haramad sells Aaron's camel after one of those used by the Three Kings falls under the load it's carrying. A disgusted Aaron rejects the final pay from that sale and storms off. When Ali tries to go after him, Ben Haramad tells him that Aaron is free to go ''because'' he had outlived his usefulness.
-->'''Ben Haramad''': Let him go. ''We're done with him.''
* Hack and Slash of ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'' get this treatment during season 3, despite never having been useful in the first place. Megabyte is sick of their incompetence and sends them to the front lines [[UriahGambit solely to get rid of them]].

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* In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Bruce Wayne narrowly avoids this trope with Braniac thanks to [[MakesSenseInContext Superman disguised as Batman]]. Bruno Mannheim didn't turn out so lucky with Darkseid.
* Trigon does this to Slade during the fourth season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. [[spoiler: Subverted in that Slade saw it coming, acquired a magical artifact that protected him from the worst of Trigon's wrath, and managed to survive. He spends the rest of the finale [[EnemyMine helping the Titans]] take Trigon down]].
* Chris [=McLean=] says this word-for-word Owen in the fourth season of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'', when the latter asks why he and the cast of the first three seasons aren't competing this time. Then Chris has him blown up.
* In ''Franchise/{{Transformers}},'' Megatron's character uses this trope on a regular basis - the 'cons all know it and he has said it word for word on more than one occasion.
** He is so notorious for this that in G1, the Insecticons once rationalised he can't have been the one to betray them because he still had a use for them - they added right to his face that they wouldn't be surprised if he did so later, and he didn't bother to deny it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', when Silas is critically injured, a team of MECH scientists saves him by [[spoiler: connecting him to Breakdown's lifeless body]]. He thanks them for their dedication and service...then kills them and leaves to [[spoiler: join with the Decepticons.]]
** Which makes it all the more ironic and satisfying, when in the same episode, the tactical advantage which Silas offered [[spoiler: to Megatron]] goes up in smoke, and he is handed over [[spoiler: to Knock-Out's dissection table for further study.]]
* Subverted in the pilot episode "The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay" of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''. The BigBad is getting some acupuncture when his {{mook}} comes in and tells him that Doctor Venture is unveiling a new invention. Having received this information, the BigBad grabs some acupuncture needles out of his body and throws them at the mook, seemingly killing him. As the BigBad is reading the newspaper article about Doctor Venture, the mook speaks up and the BigBad looks up from the paper to see the mook thanking him for curing his shoulder pain and also his smoking habit.
* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' season 2: Once Darkar has the four pieces of [[ArtifactOfDoom the codex]] and Dark Bloom at his side, he makes clear that he doesn't need the Trix anymore by tossing them into a black hole. That decision bites him in the ass not much later...
* In the 1992 ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'' cartoon, Zaladane says exactly this to Sauron in the episode "Savage Land, Strange Heart Part 2." It doesn't work out well for her.
* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Kroloteans who are under The Lights employ are killed off by them, in favor of their new partner The Reach.

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* According to apocrypha, this was at the center of the supposed Pixar/Disney feud back in 2005, with Disney getting upset by the "upstart" Pixar, which in turn was tired of being the sidekick to Disney when in fact their movies were making Disney billions.
* Activision Blizzard falls into this trope in an excellent way. Remember Call of Duty, the game that was developed by Infinity Ward, the very same company that gave Activision Blizzard billions of dollars; well, Activision Blizzard has fired two key figures of Infinity Ward and has said that the developer will not make more games of that franchise; instead, Treyarch and a new developer would take care of the franchise. However, this was subverted after several civil suits, Infinity War got back together and are working with Activision to make ModernWarfare 3.
** Activision is notorious for this. For another example, they had acquired Red Octane entirely for the GuitarHero franchise, then promptly had Neversoft and a couple other teams pump out as many titles as possible, which, by the end of 2010, had been 13 games in less than five years. At this point, the franchise had made Activision a few ''billion'' dollars. The moment sales started slipping, partly due to Activision's self-induced market oversaturation, Red Octane was dissolved and, as of February 2011, the franchise is dead.
* After the [[RedOctober October Revolution and Civil War]] in Russia was over, many of its ideologists were purged because [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Josef Stalin]] claimed that as vehement revolutionaries they knew nothing except staging rebellions and rooting out inner enemies. Stalin then proceeded to root out "inner enemies" ([[NotSoDifferent like Jews]], here called "rootless cosmopolitans") until ''1953'', long after every single member of the original Bolshevik party had been executed or exiled. He was gearing up for another round of this trope when (scientists discovered decades later) he was poisoned by one of his own inner circle, who all feared for their lives.

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* TheGreatPoliticsMessup caused a great deal of this among the third world. Now that they weren't needed as anti-Communist bullwarks, dictators like SaddamHussein and Manuel Noriega were cut off by the CIA, hung out to dry by the State Department, and invaded by the US Army. This trope also happened to genuinely good guys like Ahmed Shah Massoud, an anti-Taliban mujahadeen whose calls for assistance in Afghanistan and [[TheWarOnTerror his claims of radical Islam fermenting there]] were mostly ignored during the 1990s.
* The history of international politics is, in some ways, one example of this trope after another. After almost any major war in which the winning side consisted of an alliance of at least roughly equally powerful states, the alliance breaks up, with the erstwhile allies turning on one another. This happens for two primary reasons: the common enemy that had driven them together in the first place is now gone, and there are now spoils of victory to divide. In short, for each member of the victorious alliance, at least one former ally has outlived its usefulness; of course, since states are often highly resilient, these cases are not necessarily fatal for the states involved (although they can certainly be fatal for many individuals).
* In commenting on General George Patton, Eisenhower said that there was no better general when it came to aggressively pursuing a retreating enemy. However, he [[ExactWords very pointedly never said that Patton was good general outside of that particular role]]. Patton's death in a car accident shortly after the end of the war was the only thing that prevented him from being unceremoniously sacked, as his attitude and belligerence was not something that would have been useful facing off against the Soviets and dealing with allies in the newly-forming NATO.
* In the [[BlueAndOrangeMorality insect and arachnid world]], this happens quite frequently to the male after the act of mating.
** Some argue that the instances of the female eating the male in arthropods are [[{{flanderization}} exaggerated]], but there are plenty of instances of invertebrates where the very act of mating [[OutWithABang triggers the programmed death]] of the animal (or the laying of eggs in the females case). F.e. Octopi.
* MargaretThatcher was the longest serving Tory Prime Minister of the 20th century, and one of the most successful politicians of all time. She led her party to three consecutive landslide victories, broke the back of the labour movement and the Labour Party, and permanently shifted British politics to the right. But when she became an electoral liability, the Tory party had nothing for her but this.
** This is pretty damn common in politics in general. If someone is not leaving an office of their own volition (i.e. retirement) or due to term limits, 9 times out of 10, they're being forced out by other people, which could be either the voters or party higher-ups.

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* Activision Blizzard falls into this trope in an excellent way. Remember Call of Duty, the game that was developed by Infinity Ward, the very same company that gave Activision Blizzard billions of dollars; well, Activision Blizzard has fired two key figures of Infinity Ward and has said that the developer will not make more games of that franchise; instead, Treyarch and a new developer would take care of the franchise. However, this was subverted after several civil suits, Infinity War got back together and are working with Activision to make ModernWarfare 3.
** Activision is notorious for this. For another example, they had acquired Red Octane entirely for the GuitarHero franchise, then promptly had Neversoft and a couple other teams pump out as many titles as possible, which, by the end of 2010, had been 13 games in less than five years. At this point, the franchise had made Activision a few ''billion'' dollars. The moment sales started slipping, partly due to Activision's self-induced market oversaturation, Red Octane was dissolved and, as of February 2011, the franchise is dead.
* According to apocrypha, this was at the center of the supposed Pixar/Disney feud back in 2005, with Disney getting upset by the "upstart" Pixar, which in turn was tired of being the sidekick to Disney when in fact their movies were making Disney billions.
* In the [[BlueAndOrangeMorality insect and arachnid world]], this happens quite frequently to the male after the act of mating.
** Some argue that the instances of the female eating the male in arthropods are [[{{flanderization}} exaggerated]], but there are plenty of instances of invertebrates where the very act of mating [[OutWithABang triggers the programmed death]] of the animal (or the laying of eggs in the females case). F.e. Octopi.
* MargaretThatcher was the longest serving Tory Prime Minister of the 20th century, and one of the most successful politicians of all time. She led her party to three consecutive landslide victories, broke the back of the labour movement and the Labour Party, and permanently shifted British politics to the right. But when she became an electoral liability, the Tory party had nothing for her but this.
** This is pretty damn common in politics in general. If someone is not leaving an office of their own volition (i.e. retirement) or due to term limits, 9 times out of 10, they're being forced out by other people, which could be either the voters or party higher-ups.

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* [[CanadianPolitics Canadian Prime Minister]] Stephen Harper is legendary for this tactic.
* Sometimes enforced by the Hollywood studios either when they feel like a star is fading or just for the hell of it. This happened to Whoopi Goldberg with ''TheodoreRex'' and almost happened to Kim Basinger with ''BoxingHelena'', though the latter was smart enough to back out of the project--at a ''very'' enormous price, as she found out when [[DisproportionateRetribution she became bankrupt some time later]] (she's still making movies more regularly than Whoopi).
* TheGreatPoliticsMessup caused a great deal of this among the third world. Now that they weren't needed as anti-Communist bullwarks, dictators like SaddamHussein and Manuel Noriega were cut off by the CIA, hung out to dry by the State Department, and invaded by the US Army. This trope also happened to genuinely good guys like Ahmed Shah Massoud, an anti-Taliban mujahadeen whose calls for assistance in Afghanistan and [[TheWarOnTerror his claims of radical Islam fermenting there]] were mostly ignored during the 1990s.
* The history of international politics is, in some ways, one example of this trope after another. After almost any major war in which the winning side consisted of an alliance of at least roughly equally powerful states, the alliance breaks up, with the erstwhile allies turning on one another. This happens for two primary reasons: the common enemy that had driven them together in the first place is now gone, and there are now spoils of victory to divide. In short, for each member of the victorious alliance, at least one former ally has outlived its usefulness; of course, since states are often highly resilient, these cases are not necessarily fatal for the states involved (although they can certainly be fatal for many individuals).
* There's a legend concerning [[NapoleonicWars Napoleon's invasion of Russia]]. When he finally entered Moscow, he allegedly saw a giantic golden cross on one of the Kremlin's temples, and wanted it as a trophy. His soldiers could not reach it, but a Russian, a former bellringer, agreed to help. When he finally leveled the cross down, Napoleon ordered the bellringer to be shot... [[ForGreatJustice for a treason against Russia]].
* In commenting on General George Patton, Eisenhower said that there was no better general when it came to aggressively pursuing a retreating enemy. However, he [[ExactWords very pointedly never said that Patton was good general outside of that particular role]]. Patton's death in a car accident shortly after the end of the war was the only thing that prevented him from being unceremoniously sacked, as his attitude and belligerence was not something that would have been useful facing off against the Soviets and dealing with allies in the newly-forming NATO.

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13th May '13 3:11:27 PM wolftickets1969

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8th May '13 1:10:13 PM EarlOfSandvich

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