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1->'''Adrian Toomes:''' You saved my daughter's life, and I could never forget something like that, so I'm gonna give you one chance. You ready? You walk through those doors, you forget any of this happened. And don't you ever, ''ever'' interfere with my business again, 'Cause if you do, I will kill you, and everybody you love. I will kill you dead. That's what I'll do to protect my family. Pete, you understand?... Hey, I just saved your life. Now, what do one say to that? \
2'''Peter Parker:''' ''[DeathGlare]'' ...Thank you. \
3'''Adrian Toomes:''' You're welcome.
4-->-- ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''
5
6An AffablyEvil villain (or a PunchClockVillain, or even a WellIntentionedExtremist that hasn't gone AxCrazy) may very well at some point offer TheHero the opportunity to run away or not interfere in the villain's plans. Because he/she may very well not actually wish to harm the hero, they simply want to complete the robbery/rule the world/raise the undead, what have you. A MagnificentBastard or SmugSnake might do this to highlight just how assured their victory is. Thus, this can be a type of EvilGloating. Alternatively, a [[PragmaticVillainy practical-minded villain]] may simply prefer to avoid the risk and trouble of a fight if possible. Expect some sort of bribe: usually a cut of the stolen goods, a sip of the forbidden elixir if it's a fantasy or sci-fi story, or a ShinyNewAustralia.
7
8In the majority of cases, TheHero will refuse to quit their crusade against evil, some might even be insulted by the villain's audacity and self-assuredness. Thus, this can also be a type of TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. A number of things may happen after getting a Last Chance. If the villain's cockiness is rightfully assured, chances are the good guys are in for a CurbStompBattle. Otherwise, the good guys may respond with a ScrewYourUltimatum.
9
10The opposite use is when someone is BullyingADragon, or bullying someone who will let it go, but has less forgiving friends. Then there's a reasonable warning along the lines of "Leave it. Just walk away now." If that's not taken, there's trouble.
11
12A slightly more generous (or desperate) villain will up the ante to WeCanRuleTogether instead. Compare LineInTheSand, where the hero gives their allies a chance to quit before the big showdown, and LeaveYourQuestTest, which isn't necessarily offered by the villain.
13
14As indicated by some of the examples, the trope is not necessarily limited to villains. A hero might offer a villain (or another hero with whom he is [[LetsYouAndHimFight fighting for some reason]]) a chance to back down if the hero prefers to avoid unnecessary violence or simply wants the problem resolved as quickly as possible.
15
16Compare PointOfNoReturn and YouCanTurnBack. May involve somebody asking AreYouSureYouWantToDoThat, saying that you are YearsTooEarly for this fight, or warning DontMakeMeDestroyYou. Sometimes OneFreeHit is a form of this, since it gives someone a chance to get in one blow and then call things settled and walk away instead of starting a full scale fight.
17
18----
19!!Examples
20
21[[foldercontrol]]
22
23[[folder: Anime And Manga]]
24* The Magical World arc climax of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has Fate give Negi two chances to walk away from the conflict offering safe passage back to the non-magical 'real' world for our hero and his friends. [[spoiler:Negi seriously considers it.]]
25[[/folder]]
26
27[[folder: Comics]]
28* ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard:'' When Loki leads the Angels of Heven to attack Asgard, they take a moment beforehand to stress they will kill everyone, babies included. ''Particularly'' the babies. And if, for some reason, anyone didn't want to kill babies, they would be allowed to leave.
29-->'''Loki:''' Anyone at all? Bueller? ''(to herself)'' Can't say I didn't try...
30* {{God}} does this repeatedly in ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'': First by using Tulip as an intermediary, then Cassidy, and finally appearing to Jesse in person. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything He is denied three times]].
31[[/folder]]
32
33[[folder: Fanfic]]
34* A non-lethal, but still serious, variant from ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' - Calvin offers Creator/{{Socrates}} a chance to apologize after a scuffle goes wrong. He refuses, as "he doesn't apologize."
35* Played with in snippet seven of ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13279982/7/Harry-Potter-and-the-Burning-of-Bridges Harry Potter and the Burning of Bridges]]''. Before revealing why Hermione's [[BlackmailBackfire attempt to blackmail her was futile]], Rita offers her a chance to "let her off her leash" and they'd part ways with no hard feelings. When Hermione refuses, Rita details exactly why Hermione's actions were meaningless ''and'' how she could have the girl locked away in Azkaban in just two articles. But then Rita admits she won't do anything to Hermione for her own reasons.
36* In the fan webcomic Webcomic/AOTNoRequiem, Eren offers this to Armin before the final battle as he does not want to fight his best friend. Armin refuses.
37* ''Fanfic/TheMountainAndtheWolf'': The Wolf offers the assembled forces of Westeros the chance to willingly give the world to Chaos by simply sending him prisoners in a mass HumanSacrifice instead of driving him out by force. However, he makes it abundantly clear he very much dislikes this option and ''wants'' them to make a fight of it (to the point of threatening absent lords with plague if they don't commit to the war, or give the besiegers food to ensure they won't leave due to dwindling supplies).
38[[/folder]]
39
40[[folder: Film]]
41* ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'': Pitch Black informs Jack Frost that he's not a part of his conflict with the guardians, and won't start trouble with a "neutral party". Unfortunately for him, [[NeutralNoLonger Jack doesn't stay that way]].
42* In ''Film/ThreeHundred'', Xerxes' initial offer to Sparta is to not interfere and be left alone as a vassal state. He later goes to WeCanRuleTogether by promising to make Leonidas a king.
43** Xerxes really did offer Leonidas the job of ruling all of Greece on his behalf. But unlike in the movie, the offer wasn't made in person.
44* A notable case of good guy giving this to the good guys: in the movie ''Film/{{Glory}}'', Col. Shaw announces to the soldiers that the Confederate Army has declared it will execute any armed Black soldier and any white officer commanding them. Shaw states that in light of this information, anyone who wishes so will receive a full discharge from the Army. ''Nobody'' accepts, and like most things in the movie this actually happened.
45* In ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'', when Simon Peter Gruber realizes that once again, John [=McClane=] simply won't die, he attempts to bribe him with some of the stolen gold. John's response, "Or you can come out from that rock you're under and I'll drive this truck up your ass."
46** In ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'', [=McClane's=] charged with protecting Matt Farrell, a [[PlayfulHacker hacker]], from Gabriel, a [[TheCracker black hat]]. Gabriel offers to hack into government computers and wipe John's debt clean... if he shoots Farrell and goes home. [=McClane=] admits it's tempting, "[...] but I think I'll pass, jerk-off." From there, Gabriel resolves to kill the two good guys.
47* [[ScaryBlackMan The Operative]] in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' offers Mal the chance to turn over the Tams and leave unmolested. Because he's pretty intelligent, he knows that Mal, being who he is, will refuse ahead of time, and even knows that neither money nor an appeal to principle will work - but he has to try first.
48* ''Film/TheRock'' has an unusual example of a villain giving one to another villain. [[AntiVillain General Hummel]]'s subordinate [[TheDragon Major Baxter]] wants to extend the deadline given to the Pentagon due to the failure of one rocket. Hummel attempts to...''dissuade'' him.
49-->'''Baxter''' ''(on phone)'': I want to talk to General Kramer.\
50'''Hummel''': You're being asked by an old friend.\
51'''Baxter''': Put him on the phone right now.\
52'''Hummel''': You're being ''ordered'' by a superior officer.\
53'''Baxter''': This is Major Baxter--\
54'''Hummel''' ''(drawing and aiming his sidearm)'': And now you're being given your last chance by a man with a gun.
55* In ''Film/{{Hackers}}'', The Plague calls up Dade, while he and the hero hackers are hacking the Gibson, and tells him, "Last chance to get out of this without a prison sentence. You're not good enough to beat me, you little shit." Dade tells him, "Yeah, maybe I'm not, but ''we'' are, you asshole."
56* Film/{{Thor}} barges in on King Laufey's domain of Jotunheim in order to settle an illegal invasion of Asgard. Before letting loose his Frost Giant forces, Laufey tells Thor and his band of warriors to return home without further conflict. Thor ''almost'' accepts...[[ProudWarriorRaceGuy but then that one guy just HAD to poke fun...]]
57-->'''Loki''': [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Damn]].
58* In ''Film/TheRunningMan'', after Ben Richards has killed two of the game's four stalkers, Killian offers Richards the chance to ''be'' a stalker. Richards' response:
59-->'''Ben Richards''': *rips the monitor off the wall to stare right into it* You cold-blooded bastard! I'll tell you what I think of it! I live to see you eat that contract! But I hope you leave enough room for my fist, because I'm going to ram it into your stomach and break your goddamn spine! *smashes monitor on the ground*
60* In ''Film/FaceOff'', Castor Troy asks Sean Archer if he'd consider having them restore their faces and call a truce. He's not surprised when Archer dismisses the idea instantly. "Oh well. Plan B: let's just kill each other".
61* In ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', after Adrian Toomes (aka the Vulture) realizes that Peter is Spider-Man, he gives him a chance to back off and avoid any further conflict, apparently out of gratitude for [[spoiler:Spidey rescuing his daughter Liz and perhaps also approval of Peter as a suitor]].
62-->'''Adrian Toomes:''' You saved [[spoiler:my daughter's]] life, and [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes I could never forget something like that]], so I'll give you one chance. You ready? You walk through those doors, You forget any of this happened. And don't you ever, ever interfere with my business again.
63* ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma2007''. Dan Evans is part of a posse transporting the dangerous outlaw Ben Wade to a prison train. Evans is motivate partly by wanting to prove his honor, and partly because his family needs the $200 reward. When they're alone together, Wade offers Evans $400 to give up and let him go. Then Wade increases the offer to $1000, explaining that this is Evans' last chance to walk away from the situation. [[spoiler:Dan just laughs at the utter impracticality of accepting that much cash. Specifically, if he tried to actually spend any of it, everyone would ''know'' where he got the money from.]]
64* ''Film/{{Taken}}'' has an example of the hero giving the villain the chance to back off, with Bryan Mills telling the people who kidnapped his daughter that he'll leave them alone if they release her, but will [[PapaWolf hunt them down and kill them]] if they don't.
65* ''Film/WouldYouRather'': After explaining the rules, Shepard Lambrick gives the contestants one last chance to walk away. When a car battery is rolled into the room, Conway [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere changes his mind and goes to leave]] with Lambrick warning that the offer has expired. [[spoiler:Bevans, his assistant, then shoots and kills Conway in front of everyone else when he continues walking away, as a show of what the stakes are.]]
66[[/folder]]
67
68[[folder: Literature]]
69* ''Literature/ChrysalisRinoZ'': Titus offers the people of Renewal the opportunity to walk away from the Colony before the fighting starts, rather than being treated as hostile combatants and going down with them, and Enid passes the offer on. The ants certainly wouldn't try to stop the humans if they chose to save themselves, but none of them do.
70* ''Literature/ADearthOfChoice'': Even after accepting Rule 1 (ie lethal force is allowed on both sides), [[spoiler:Tam's party]] is still told to turn back, choose a different rule, and be welcome. But he's too stubborn, fixated on the idea that dungeons must be controlled.
71--> '''Biyaban''': I have fought you all many times. You are all far too weak to truly face me. I do not wish to include in my legend the slaughter of the undeserving, so turn back now please.\
72''[{{Beat}}]''\
73Well? Go on, little children. Come back when you are at least Gold-Tier, and we will have a true match. Then, you will be a worthy addition to my legend. I will carve your noble sacrifice into these walls, that all might remember your valiant fight. But this will not be that, and I have no desire for it. Go.
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75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder: Live Action TV]]
78* The new series ''Series/DoctorWho'' lives on this trope. It is rare for someone to listen to the Doctor, which is a bit stupid considering his reputation. It occasionally occurred in the classic series, such as when he gave [[Recap/DoctorWhoS9E3TheSeaDevils the Sea Devils]] one last chance.
79* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
80** In a brilliant scene in one episode, Minbari warrior Neroon offers Ranger Marcus Cole the chance to back off and let him continue on his mission to assassinate Delenn. Marcus responds with a YouShallNotPass (which is, after all, what the Rangers are all about).
81** In 4x18, ''Intersections In Real Time'', the Interrogator asks the question "Do you understand that this is your last chance?" in a desperate tone both to another prisoner and later to Sheridan before sending them away presumably to their deaths. [[spoiler:However, at least in Sheridan's case, he's simply sent to another room with a different interrogator, implying that the previous guy's tone [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness wasn't motivated by concern for Sheridan's life.]]]]
82* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
83** The famous '''''[[MemeticMutation There are FOUR lights!!!!]]''''' scene from the episode "Chain Of Command, Part 2", where Cardassian TortureTechnician Gul Madred made Picard believe that Starfleet had given up on him and offered him a life in a LuxuryPrisonSuite if he gave in to Madred's TwoPlusTortureEqualsFive demands; the alternative was death. Made all the more badass during Picard's debriefing afterwards when he admits that there were times during his interrogation and torture when he really did think he could see ''five'' lights, but he wouldn't give his interrogator the satisfaction of admitting it.
84** The episode "The Defector" features the ''Enterprise'' surrounded by Romulan warships. The smug Romulan commander Tomalok orders Picard to surrender and offers him this trope.[[spoiler: It turns out that Picard doesn't need to quit because Tomalok is surrounded by [[TheCavalry cloaked Klingon warships]].]]
85--->'''Tomolak''': I give you 30 seconds to reconsider, Captain.\
86'''Picard''': Tomolak, I do not require '''one'''.
87* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': The ambassador of the Slaver City of Yunkai offers Daenerys Stormborn the ships she needs to sail her army to Westeros (one of them filled with gold) if she leaves Slaver's Bay. She makes him a different offer: his life, on the condition that the Masters abolish slavery.
88* ''Series/{{Psych}}'': When Shawn is about to go on a destructive rampage [[spoiler: in the house of the man who shot his father]], he offers Gus an out. Gus accepts only after the offer's been taken off the table, forcing him to become an accessory to his friend's crime.
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder: Theme Parks]]
92* During the queue videos for ''Ride/TransformersTheRide'' at Ride/UniversalStudios, Megatron sends out a transmission where he gives NEST one final chance to surrender the [=AllSpark=] shard to him and not start a devastating conflict.
93[[/folder]]
94
95[[folder: Video Games]]
96* Toward the end of ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', Bob Page gets increasingly desperate as you hinder his "[[GodhoodSeeker preparations.]]"
97-->'''Bob Page''': All right. I get the picture. You want a piece of the pie, or you're going to toss the whole pie out the window. Fair enough. You can have anything you want. How about Europe? Your own continent. Just let me complete my preparations.
98* In the penultimate mission of ''VideoGame/HaloWars2'', [[BigBad Atriox]] gives [[TheCaptain Cutter]] an ultimatum, saying he will let the ''Spirit of Fire'' live and all humans leave in safety if they leave the Halo and the Ark to him. Cutter shoots back that the Ark now belongs to the ''Spirit of Fire'', and [[ScrewYourUltimatum that Atriox can piss off]]. [[SpaceshipGirl Isabel]] then reports that Atriox has ''never been so mad''.
99* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', the BigBad gives this offer to your party members -- but not to The Nameless One himself -- when you finally reach its lair. [[spoiler:There are no takers. It leaves no survivors.]]
100** The backstory implies it did the same thing to [[spoiler:The Practical Incarnation and his party. Of the people left over from that party at least two are alive (though in Morte's case that's figurative), which implies that some of them took it.]]
101* In the Dragon campaign of ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'', [[EvilSorcerer Zymeth]] offers [[TheHero Kenji]] a peace between the Dragon and Lotus clans because he believes [[MacGuffin The Serpent's Orb]] will make him invincible once he's unlocked its power. Kenji, who knows the orb is useless except as a MagicFeather, doesn't take it.
102-->'''Zymeth:''' I'm giving you a chance to walk away, ''boy''.\
103'''Kenji:''' You're wasting your time.
104* At the climax of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'', the BigBad [[spoiler: Sun Li]] offers you a once-in-a-lifetime deal: allow him to continue [[GodEmperor reigning as a god]] and he'll not only keep the peace, put all the ghosts that have been bothering people back to rest, and keep the water flowing, he'll also make sure [[FamedInStory you become famous as the hero responsible]] and spare your companions. [[NonStandardGameOver You can actually accept.]]
105* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'': While pursuing the Light Fingers ambition, your main enemy for a certain part of the storyline, [[MalevolentMaskedMen Poor Edward]], will make you this offer: Have a drink of LaserGuidedAmnesia tea, and forget what you were looking for, and let everything stay where it is, or keep prowling, and get BuriedAlive for your trouble (mentioning he'd kill you if if weren't for the fact DeathIsCheap in the Neath). It's up to the player to decide, but if you want to continue this particular ambition you're going to have to risk it. Even getting trapped in a coffin is a simple, if nightmarish inconvenience.
106* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'': On "The Devil in: Hell of a Time," the Devil asks the cups to hand over all the soul contracts. If the player says Yes, they become the Devil's new lackys and the player gets a NonStandardGameOver.
107* ''VideoGame/SunlessSkies'': Pursuing the "Truth" ambition has the game offering you the chance to switch to a 'standard' ambition like Wealth or Fame after fulfilling the first half, noting that the PlayerCharacter is already entering HeKnowsTooMuch territory and that the next step is going to get a lot harder.
108* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'': At the end of the DLC chapters, Asura is offered one last chance by [[spoiler:[[{{God}} Chakravartin]] to accept his offer to become Gaea's new god after ascending to levels of power none before him had and thus allow Chakravartin to leave Gaea and spread his "guidance" to other worlds.]] Just to drive it home, he even returns Mithra, [[PapaWolf the main reason Asura began this quest]], to him and lets them hug. All he asks in return is for Asura to accept the offer and take his hand. [[spoiler:Despite [[TheManBehindTheMan everything]] Chakravartin has done to [[CrapsackWorld Gaea]] and the [[ForeverWar suffering its people have endured]], Asura ''does'' look sorely tempted at least for a moment. He then [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu "extends his arm" right into Chakravartin's face]] before angrily refusing and affirming his intent to make the deity pay for all he's done.]]
109* ''VideoGame/WWEVideoGames'': The 2006 edition features a MythArc rivalry between the PlayerCharacter and WWE Champion Wrestling/TripleH. After the rivals are forced to [[EnemyMine team up]] against interlopers, HHH offers the PC "a free pass" to get out of Hunter's life for good. Reject it, and your feud comes to a head; accept it, and you will have to face the wrath of Wrestling/SheltonBenjamin, the only man who had your back against HHH.
110[[/folder]]
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112[[folder: Webcomics]]
113* [[spoiler:Sarda]] gives [[HarmlessVillain the Dark Warriors]] this offer in ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' because he feels sorry for them.
114-->'''[[spoiler:Sarda:]]''' Look, I don't do this... uh, ever. But you guys are basically like kittens stuck on a leaking lifeboat in a typhoon. Just run.
115** They accept. Wisely.
116* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
117** Xykon offers a twist on this -- it's not that he doesn't want to hurt Roy, but that he doesn't feel Roy's worth his time and effort. He actually suggests that Roy try again when he [[LevelGrinding grows powerful enough]] to [[YearsTooEarly present a real challenge]]. When Roy refuses, Xykon very quickly decides to show him just how outclassed he is.
118** The fiends that are [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html offering]] Vaarsuvius a DealWithTheDevil point out that, instead of taking their offer, V ''could'' kill themself, have Qarr bring their head to the Azure City fleet, get resurrected, and Send to their master, who would defeat the ancient black dragon before she could steal V's children's souls. The purpose of pointing this out is twofold: first, to make sure V '''''knows''''' that they only accepted the deal out of {{Pride}}, as this alternative would require them to admit that they couldn't solve the problem on their own. And second, to remove their ability to claim IDidWhatIHadToDo, as they were about to do before the fiends spoke up.
119* The Goblin Regent gives one to the attacking army's commander in ''Webcomic/{{Roommates}}''. She takes it after realizing that they aren't so different, and also that the [[VictoryThroughIntimidation sword pointing at her chest very convincing]]. For a twist: Both of them are [[GoodVersusGood good]] just not agreeing on what is unforgivable or unavoidable.
120[[/folder]]
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122[[folder: Western Animation]]
123* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'': In the episode that marked the debut of kryptonite, ComicBook/LexLuthor offered Superman a deal: if Supes agreed not to interfere with Lex's plans in the future, Lex wouldn't try to kill him. Superman refused.
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