History Main / YouWillBeSpared

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': [[spoiler: After bumping Lily and her family to top of Voldemort's hit list, Severus Snape begged him to spare her (though ''not'' her husband and son), in part due to his unrequited love for her. It didn't work, though Voldemort offered Lily the chance to step aside.]]

If said to a hero, it may because they're [[FriendlyEnemy Friendly Enemies]]. An OmnicidalManiac may either express a desire to preserve one person or event that they like, or say that it's the one thing they'll miss after destroying the world. If they believe the person or people they spare have some sort of UniquenessValue, that's SparingTheAces.

* In the ''Manga/DeathNote'' fic ''FanFic/ACureForLove'' Light says the following to L [[OpenMouthInsertFoot without really thinking about what he said]] [[MurderIsTheBestSolution because killing people who annoy him has almost become an automatic response]]:

* Col. John Matrix (ArnoldSchwarzenegger) tells this to one of the villains in ''Film/{{Commando}}''. Later, [[HighAltitudeInterrogation he's hanging him over a long drop]] by his leg:

-->'''Matrix''': {{I lied}}. ''(Drops Sully to his death.)''

* A rare heroic version in RobertAHeinlein's ''HaveSpaceSuitWillTravel'': just before HumanityOnTrial, Kip is assured that he and Pee-wee will be allowed to live out their lives. Kip asks that they be returned to Earth if humanity loses, which may have been a factor in deciding to spare for now -- although they intend to re-evaluate later.
* In ''[[{{Discworld/Wintersmith}} Wintersmith]]'', the titular AnthropomorphicPersonification offered to spare Tiffany and the Chalk (where she came from); the rest of the Disc would remain frozen forever.

* ''{{Lost}}'' inverts the "I'll kill you last" variety. Said by Ethan to Charlie, this is a ''threat'': Charlie will see all his friends die before he's killed.

* [[YoungDracula Ingrid]] tells her therapist this after the therapist helps her get past her {{Villainous BSOD}}. The therapist believes that her ability to make such jokes is a good sign.

* This trope most likely lay at the heart of the cynical German-Japanese military alliance during WorldWarII from at least the Nazis' perspective (but possibly the Japanese as well). A paranoid, virulently racist, white supremacist country decides to team up against other enemies with a nation they probably deem subhuman when it gets down to it. [[http://www.tinyrevolution.com/mt/archives/000120.html This article]] from ''Our Dumb Century'' puts it best.

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Usually, the villain will make this promise to anyone who helps him, or to someone they feel indebted to, are friends with, or are in love with. If the villain ''really'' likes this person, expect them to sweeten the deal with a ShinyNewAustralia. This is generally played for laughs, since few "realistic" villains are quite so egomaniacal that they bandy out the lives of others this ways.

An alternative reason for a villain to invoke this trope is to leave behind a witness to tell of their misdeed, intending for it to have a demoralizing effect on the villain's enemie

Usually, the villain will make this promise to anyone who helps him, or to someone they feel indebted to, are friends with, or are in love with. If the villain ''really'' likes this person, expect them to sweeten the deal with a ShinyNewAustralia. This is generally played for laughs, since few "realistic" villains are quite so egomaniacal that they bandy out the lives of others this way.

* For ''{{Baccano}}'s'' Ladd Russo and Lua Klein, nothing says [[MadLove love]] like "I'll kill you last."

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** In "Petarded", Peter says "When we fat guys take over you will beg for mercy, and we will consider it".

--> -- '''John Matrix''', ''Film/{{Commando}}''[[hottip:* :[[ILied He lied.]]]]

* In the fourth episode of ''TheLegendOfKorra'', Amon ambushes Korra and has a golden opportunity to [[spoiler:take her bending away]], but doesn't take it because [[spoiler:that would make her a martyr]]. Instead he gives a BreakingSpeech explaining that he'll save her for last.

* In the fourth episode of ''TheLegendOfKorra'', Amon ambushes Korra and has a golden opportunity to [[spoiler:take her bending away]], but doesn't take it because [[spoiler:that would make her a martyr]]. Instead he gives a HannibalLecture explaining that he'll save her for last.

* On AtopTheFourthWall, because he defeated someone who was a nuisance to it the Entity ''does'' save Linkara for last and lets him run and hide after [[spoiler: it absorbs everyone else]] - but it's waiting when he comes back out.

* ''RedVsBlue'', BigBad OmnicidalManiac Omega discussing his plans to conquer the universe with MissionControl Vic.

--> -- '''John Matrix''', ''{{Commando}}''[[hottip:* :[[ILied He lied.]]]]

** Evil Bakura quotes the {{Commando}} exchange with Pegasus.

* Col. John Matrix (ArnoldSchwarzenegger) tells this to one of the villains in ''{{Commando}}''. Later, [[HighAltitudeInterrogation he's hanging him over a long drop]] by his leg:

* ''VGCats'' plays with this [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=199 here]] with the [[PathOfInspiration The Church Of The]] OneWingedAngel [[VideoGame/FinalFantasy Of Latter-Day Summons]].

* In the book ''Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter'' the main vampire--though not exactly a villain--would say, every time him and Abraham Lincoln met, and he didn't kill him--or the vampire would save him--he'd ask why and the vampire would say "Some people are just too interesting to kill." Then in the end, when Abraham Lincoln died [[spoiler: and the vampire brought him back as a vampire himself, he said, "Some people are just too interesting to let die."]]

Usually, the villain will make this promise to anyone who helps him, or to someone they feel indebted to, are friends with, or are in love with. If the villain ''really'' likes this person, expect them to sweeten the deal with a ShinyNewAustralia. This is generally played for laughs, since few "realistic" villains are quite so ego-maniacal that they bandy out the lives of others this way.

** At Fry's funeral (don't worry, [[UnexplainedRecovery he gets better]]):

--> -- '''John Matrix''', ''{{Commando}}''[[hottip:* :[[ILied He lied]]]]

* In ''{{Hellboy}}'', Rasputin says "It will be quick" to Professor Bruttenholm right before he kills him. It appears to be true.

* In ''{{Hellboy}}'', the "You're death will be quick and painless" version is said by Rasputin to Professor Broom before he's killed. The actual line is "It'll be quick.". It is actually quick and, from what the audience can tell, painless.

** Hitler also made offers of this kind to the UK during the early phase of the war, generally along the lines of "Britannia can rule the waves and Germania the earth." The UK ignored them (they didn't even acknowledge they had received them), which is essentially a diplomatic way of saying, "f*** off."

** In "The Fat Guy Strangler", Peter says "When we fat guys take over you will beg for mercy, and we will consider it".
*** That was actually from the episode when he found out he was retarded.

-->''"Perhaps I'll exterminate you '''somewhat''' painlessly..."''

* In ''EightBitTheater'', Sarda shows mercy to the AffablyEvil Dark Warriors:

* ''VGCats'' plays with this [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=199 here]] with the [[PathOfInspiration The Church Of The]] OneWingedAngel [[FinalFantasy Of Latter-Day Summons]].

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': [[spoiler: Severus Snape begged [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] to spare Lily Potter, in part due to his unrequited love for her. It didn't work, though Voldemort offered Lily the chance to step aside.]]