History PlayingWith / BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork

'''Basic Trope''': A villain commits a villainous act that furthers the heroes' goals, allowing the heroes to benefit without getting their own hands dirty.

** The heroes [[WhatTheHellHero let a dangerous villain escape justice]], possibly leading to a new storyline that [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot could have been avoided]].

** While it's obvious that Master Destruction ''cannot'' be allowed to live any longer, ''personally'' killing him would [[BleedEmAndWeep have a]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone negative]] [[TheseHandsHaveKilled effect]] [[ShellShockedVeteran on the]] [[HeroicBSOD heroes']] [[{{Trigger}} psychological]] [[HurtingHero well-being]]. Just because they were the ones to catch him doesn't mean they're the kind of people who can kill someone in cold blood, especially when it's up close and personal.

* '''Invoked''': The heroes take care to drive Master Destruction onto Evulz's stomping grounds before subduing him, and go out of their way to delay his extraction to maximize the chances of Evulz stumbling across them.

** Emperor Evulz may be irredeemably evil [[EvenEvilHasStandards but there are some lines he won't cross]]. Master Destruction, however, not only crosses them but pole vaults over them. He then [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the heroes on this]] "so you can sleep easy without guilty consciences."

* '''Double Subverted''': ...then he shoots him as he's "trying to escape."

** While it's obvious that Master Destruction ''cannot'' be allowed to live any longer, ''personally'' killing him would have a [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone negative]] [[TheseHandsHaveKilled effect]] [[ShellShockedVeteran on the]] [[HeroicBSOD heroes']] [[{{Trigger}} psychological]] [[HurtingHero well-being]]. Just because they were the ones to catch him doesn't mean they're the kind of people who can kill someone in cold blood, especially when it's up close and personal.

* '''Deconstructed''': The fact that the heroes needed to rely on a villain to bail them out of a problem puts their convictions and abilities into question. The question on whether or not they'll need to become NecessarilyEvil also comes in, as well as what they'll do when there '''isn't''' a convenient villain around that's inclined to do the dirty work for them.

* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a "BreakThemByTalking" lecture from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to ShootTheDog, but only if all other options fail first.

* '''Deconstructed''':
** The fact that the heroes needed to rely on a villain to bail them out of a problem puts their convictions and abilities into question. The question on whether or not they'll need to become NecessarilyEvil also comes in.
** While Emperor Evulz does take care of Master Destruction he is quite indiscriminate and unnecessarily violent about it, killing the innocent staff of the dinner he was eating in at the time to leave no witnesses. This highlights why relying on this trope is not a good thing.

** Emperor Evulz may be irredeemably evil [[EvenEvilHasStandards but there are some lines he won't cross.]] Master Destruction, however, not only crosses them but pole vaults over them. He then [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the heroes on this]] "so you can sleep easy without guilty consciences."

** Evulz likes to think that he is [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou The Only One Allowed To Defeat Him]]

* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a BreakingSpeech from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to ShootTheDog, but only if all other options fail first.

%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

* '''Exaggerated''':
** Emperor Evulz appears and takes care of ''any'' uncomfortable act a Super Troper is faced with, from executing super villains to tactfully pointing out that, no, that new cologne really ''isn't'' very flattering.
** The heroes keep Emperor Evulz's phone number and call him whenever they need someone to ShootTheDog.

* '''Parodied''': ???

* '''Exaggerated''': Emperor Evulz appears and takes care of ''any'' uncomfortable act a Super Troper is faced with, from executing super villains to tactfully pointing out that, no, that new cologne really ''isn't'' very flattering.

** LawfulEvil Emporer Evulz wants to stop all of the rebels in his nation. Both the ChaoticGood Super Troper and the ChaoticEvil Master Destruction.

* '''Inverted''': Emperor Evulz likes to think he has [[EvenEvilHasStandards standards]], and as such won't execute and unarmed prisoner. The Super Tropers, on the other hand, are willing to do ''[[PragmaticHero anything]]'' for the greater good.

* '''Parodied''': The heroes keep Emperor Evulz's phone number and call him whenever they need someone to ShootTheDog.

* '''Averted''':
** The heroes either ShootTheDog themselves or let a dangerous villain escape justice.
** Emperor Evulz refuses to kill Master Destruction for the heroes, either because he isn't really a killer or because he doesn't like cooperating with the heroes anymore than he has to.
** The heroes TakeAThirdOption and depower Master Destruction instead of choosing between killing or releasing him to do evil again.

* '''Lampshaded''': "Oh, come now. Don't act so self-righteous. If I hadn't come along, you'd have had to do it yourself!"

* '''Defied''': As soon as Evulz shows up, Paladin Paul threatens to charge him with murder if he harms the prisoner.
* '''Discussed''': "Looks like only the ''bad'' guy can solve this problem. Super Troper doesn't have the stomach for that sort of thing.
* '''Conversed''': "Super Troper! If you aren't going to kill Destruction, then I, Dr. Evulz will!"

* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a BreakingSpeech from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to {{Shoot the Dog}}--but only if all other options fail first.

* '''Averted''': The heroes either ShootTheDog themselves or let a dangerous villain escape justice.

* '''Deconstructed''': The fact that the heroes needed to rely on a villain to bail them out of a problem puts their convictions and abilities into question. The question on whether or not they'll need to become NecessarilyEvil also comes in.
** While Emperor Evulz does take care of Master Destruction he is quite indiscriminate and unnecessarily violent about it, killing the innocent staff of the dinner he was eating in at the time to leave no witnesses. This highlights why relying on this trope is not a good thing.
* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a BreakingSpeech from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to {{Shoot the Dog}}--but only if all other options fail first.

%%

* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Exploited''': ???

%%* '''Implied''': ???

%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???

* '''Inverted''': Emperor Evulz likes to think he has [[EvenEvilHasStandards standards]], and as such won't execute and unarmed prisoner. The Super Tropers, on the other hand, are willing to do ''anything'' for the greater good.

* '''Subverted''': Evulz offers to "take care of" Destruction, and drags him into an alley, loading his weapon. As soon as they're out of sight, he unties Master Destruction.

** Emperor Evulz maybe irredeemably evil [[EvenEvilHasStandards but there are some line he won't cross.]] Master Destruction, however not only crosses them but pole vaults over them. He then [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the heroes on this]] "so you can sleep easy without guilty conciseness."

** Evulz likes to think that he is [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatHim]]

** TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou

* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a {{Hannibal Lecture}} from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to {{Shoot the Dog}}--but only if all other options fail first.

** LawfulEvil Emporer Evulz wants to stop all of the rebels in his nation. Both the ChaoticGood Super Troper and the ChaoticEvil Master Destruction.

* '''Deconstructed''': The fact that the heroes needed to rely on a villain to bail them out of a problem puts their convictions and abilities into question. The question on whether or not they'll need to become NecessarilyEvil also comes in.
* '''Reconstructed''': After receiving a {{Hannibal Lecture}} from said villain savior about being morally cowardly and ineffective, the heroes realize that now and then they will have to {{Shoot the Dog}}--but only if all other options fail first.

* '''Averted''': The heroes either ShootTheDog themselves or let a dangerous villain escape justice.

* '''Discussed''': "Looks like only the ''bad'' guy can solve this problem. Super Troper doesn't have the stomach for that sort of thing.

And just when you think the Big Bad has won, your old nemesis appears and takes you back to BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork!

** Emperor Evulz maybe irredeemably evil [[EvenEvilHasStandards but there are some line he won't cross.]] Master Destruction, however [[CompleteMonster not only crosses them but pole vaults over them.]] He then [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the heroes on this]] "so you can sleep easy without guilty conciseness."

* '''Justified''': Emperor Evulz considers himself more of an AntiHero and believes it's his job to do what others won't.

* '''Conversed''': "Super Troper! If you aren't going to kill Destruction, the I, Dr. Evulz will!"

* '''Discussed''': --
* '''Conversed''': --

** Emperor Evulz maybe irredeemably evil [[EvenEvilHasStandards but there are some line he won't cross.]] Master Destruction, however [[CompleteMonster not only crosses them but pole valts over them.]] He then [[CallingTheOldManOut calls out the heroes on this]] "so you can sleep easy without guilty conciseness."