Line #203 Main/SwordoverHead


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9	[[quoteright:349:[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/s_l400.png]]]]
10	[[caption-width-right:349:[[MemeticMutation DO IT!]]]]
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12	->'''Zuko:''' I have you now! HIYA!\
13	'''Zhao:''' Oh My God! Did you really just miss me point blank?!\
14	'''Zuko:''' No, I, um... I did it on purpose so, um... let that be a lesson to you!\
15	'''Zhao:''' Oh, so instead of being completely talentless you're just completely ball-less! Nice save there, Chief!
16	-->-- ''WebVideo/AvatarTheAbridgedSeries''
17
18	A goodie has captured ''the'' {{b\|igBad}}addie and is holding a sword over their head. They really hate this baddie. He or she has [[ItsPersonal killed their friends or family!]]
19
20	There's a DramaticPause as the goodie mentally debates whether to kill the baddie. In the end, however, they will throw the sword away and let the bad guy be captured by the authorities (unless, of course, they're an AntiHero). Another variation has them throw the sword right next to the villain in a way that makes it clear that they could have killed them but didn't.
21
22	Alternately, if the hero simply sheathes the sword instead of actually discarding it, [[BackstabBackfire the baddie inevitably rises up one more time once the hero's back is turned, only to get struck down in a single dramatic stroke]].
23
24	This trope can just as easily be done with firearms. Often by the hero firing a shot, only to have aimed away from villain at the last second.
25
26	Bystanders may be provided to say either "IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim" or "KillHimAlready"
27
28	If the roles are reversed and the villain has the hero at his mercy, it can go either way. If he chooses to spare the hero, we might be looking at INeedYouStronger. Otherwise he'll decide to finish the hero off, but be prepared for a ThwartedCoupDeGrace. Be prepared for a bit of EvilGloating while the baddie apparently has the hero at their mercy.
29
30	Compare with SparingTheFinalMook. If the hero chooses to show mercy to the bad guy only to regret it later because the bad guy causes more trouble, you have NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished and NiceJobBreakingItHero. By contrast, if an arrogant villain gives a hero a second chance and it proves to be their undoing, it becomes NiceJobFixingItVillain.
31
32	Warning note... there are plenty of spoilers here. Be ye warned.
33
34	Oh, and there are supposedly a few types of sword actually designed to strike the killing blow with an overhead strike that splits the target's skull. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant It doesn't have to be that literal to count as this trope.]]
35
36	----
37	!!Examples:
38	[[foldercontrol]]
39
40	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
41	* Taisuke spends the whole of ''Manga/AliveTheFinalEvolution'' coming to terms with the fact that his best friend (Hirose) is not only capable of murder but a mass murderer with no sense of guilt. Cue the final showdown between the two of them, when Taisuke overpowers Hirose and has him in a chokehold. Taisuke ends up [[spoiler:trying to kill him twice before breaking down and letting go. This turns out to be the right decision, however, as it's only with Hirose's power that they manage to destroy the incoming Nuke]].
42	* In Episode 13 of ''Anime/CrossAnge'', [[FallenPrincess Ange]], from inside her [[HumongousMecha Villkiss]], has her [[{{BFS}} massive energy sword]] hanging over [[CainAndAbel her traitorous brother]] [[TheEvilPrince Julio]]. [[HateSink This awful man]] was responsible for ruining her life by exposing her as a [[AntiMagic Norma]], resulting in the loss of her rights and being conscripted into serving as CannonFodder. He also [[SelfMadeOrphan had their parents killed to take over the throne]], [[TheCorruptor corrupted their little sister Sylvia]] into hating Ange, goaded Sylvia into [[ColdBloodedTorture torturing Ange]] when they captured her via a WoundedGazelleGambit, and [[FinalSolution eventually attempted to have her and the rest of the Norma killed in a purge]]. Even though Julio has complied with Ange's demand to stop the massacre, Ange has decided [[DirtyCoward the coward]] is not worth sparing, and [[VillainsWantMercy despite his pleas for mercy]], [[PayEvilUntoEvil she slashes in his general direction]]... [[ThwartedCoupDeGrace only to be stopped by]] [[AGodAmI Embryo]], the BigBad of the story. Embryo intervenes on the premises that [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim she would "taint" herself]] by stooping so low to kill someone like Julio... [[BaitTheDog or so he says]]. Either way, he politely offers to "bear that burden"... by [[KillSteal blasting Julio's ship with his Hysterica]], [[AssholeVictim obliterating Julio and his entire fleet]].
43	* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
44	** Vegeta, after a ridiculously long, grueling battle, lays nearly crippled on the ground at the mercy of Krillin, who is holding Yajirobe's sword to his neck. After Goku pleads with Krillin for several minutes to let Vegeta go, he throws the sword away against his better judgment and allows the half-dead antagonist to escape. Which totally saves their collective asses during the Frieza and Cell sagas. Vegeta's TheLancer for a reason.
45	** Then Goku tried it again after defeating Frieza after his legs and arm had been cut off, and actually gave him what he figured was enough power for him to live and escape the about-to-explode planet. But apparently this time Goku forgot that Frieza had committed genocide on at least two different occasions, and as soon as he flew off, Frieza used the energy he received to take one last shot at him. And then Goku demonstrated just WHY he could take that chance; because when Frieza tried shooting him, he responded by turning around and shooting an energy beam at Frieza, killing him. Or... not, as later episodes show.
46	* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
47	** This happens to Winry; she had just discovered that [[spoiler:Scar]] killed her parents and levelled a gun at him. Fortunately, [[spoiler:Ed convinces her that "IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim"]].
48	** Then we have [[spoiler:Roy with his flame powers and Envy in his fetus form]]. He is convinced by [[spoiler:Ed, Scar, and Riza]] to [[spoiler:not go through with finishing Envy off]]. [[spoiler:Envy dies anyway by committing suicide because Ed inadvertently makes him feel too insulted to live.]]
49	* ''Manga/RaveMaster'':
50	** Subverted when [[spoiler:Haru the sword over Shuda's head, drops it, and then Shuda picks it right back up, drops AnAesop, then [[RedemptionEqualsDeath falls to (not quite) his death]]]].
51	** It happens again later when Haru goes berserk on Lucia. The later actually faints, and everyone starts pressing Haru to sever his head, but Haru still can't bring himself to [[TechnicalPacifist take a life]].
52	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'':
53	** Subverted with Eiji is stopped from killing a helpless Senkaku by the AntiHero Saitou, but only because there is a law against revenge killing, and Saitou needs the criminal for interrogation, where a grislier fate awaits Senkaku in the form of torture ''and'' the death penalty. Kenshin, however, appeases the vengeful youth by appealing to his better nature.
54	** See also Kenshin with Kurogasa/Jin-e, who kills himself rather than be [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disgraced and useless]].
55	* ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'': When Barnaby and Kotetsu defeat Jake, Barnaby ultimately decides to have him arrested, though Jake [[HoistByHisOwnPetard dies while trying to escape]].
56	* Happens a lot with Vash in ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'', especially once the Gung Ho Guns show up. [[spoiler:He is ultimately forced to go through with it and kill TheDragon Legato Bluesummers.]] It [[RedemptionEqualsDeath didn't work out so well]] when Wolfwood did it, though.
57	* Subverted in an odd variation in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' when Austin O'Brien duels the Masked Knight of Laughter. O'Brien plays a combo that, if executed properly, will win him the duel on his first turn. The Knight begs for a chance to play a little more, so O'Brien interrupts the combo and lets the Knight take his turn... before he realizes that O'Brien is walking away as his last card activates, wiping out his remaining life points anyway.
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Comic Books]]
61	* In ''ComicBook/AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder'', Batman brings Dick Grayson the man who killed his parents, gagged and tied up. He then offers Dick a battleaxe and tells him to 'Choose. Avenger or detective.' Dick raises the axe over his head and brings it down... right next to the thug's face, slashing open the gag and one of his cheeks, but not his skull. The thug spills the beans.
62	* In one of the Fifth Doctor stories in ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'', a ruthless bounty hunter is attempting to kill the Doctor on orders from an evil industrialist. Things backfire somewhat, and he accidentally succeeds in badly wounding himself and mortally wounding the Doctor's companion, Gus. Tears in his eyes and a murderous expression on his face, the Doctor picks up the bounty hunter's gun, shoots several times...and we then find that he simply shot the hunter's helmet, whose headphones were ironically playing "We'll Meet Again". However, this is then promptly subverted as the industrialist's slimy henchman visits the hunter in hospital, calmly trashes his life-support systems ("No loose ends"), and walks out as the hunter chokes his last.
63	* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
64	** Subverted in Jamie Delano's run of ''ComicBook/CaptainBritain''. After sister Betsy replaces Brian Braddock as Captain Britain, Brian's old foe Slaymaster takes her on and beats her savagely before putting both of her eyes out. An appalled Brian arrives, and a titanic fight ensues, which ends with Slaymaster on his back and Brian holding a huge rock over his head. At the last moment, he seems to force himself to stop. Slaymaster, being a villain, can't stop himself from coming out with an I-Don't-Think-You've-Got-The-Grapes taunting speech. In a flash of fury, Brian sweeps the rock down on Slaymaster's head. SPLAT.
65	** In ''ComicBook/MarvelsVoices: Indigenous Voices'', Echo handily beats Saarl and holds a spear over his face, but decides not to kill him because there has been enough violence.
66	** In ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' volume 2 issue #43, "What if Wolverine had married Mariko?", Mariko is eventually killed by her brother, Harada Yashida a.k.a. Silver Samurai, in a plot with the Kingpin. ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} is enraged by this and after beating Harada within an inch of his life, Wolverine has a sword of honour held over his head. He swings it... and deliberately misses. Harada breathes a sigh of relief... until Wolverine shoves his fist under Harada's chin, growling "Just decided the honor sword's too good for you. It shouldn't be stained with a traitor's blood. Me? I'm not so fussy." Since this is Wolverine we're talking about, the very next panel we see is blacked out with a ''very'' telling SNIKT sound effect overlaid on it.
67	** In ''ComicBook/XMen'', Jubilee faces this choice after she hunts down the men who killed her parents. In a slight variation, ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} -- the only witness -- tells her exactly how she could use her powers to [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident make the deaths look like natural causes]]. She lets them live, of course.
68	** Occurs complete with actual sword over actual head when Rogue defeats Vargas in a swordfight at the end of the ''ComicBook/XTremeXMen'' arc "Invasion". Vargas encourages her to kill him [[YouCantFightFate as predicted by Destiny's diaries]], and the ultimate result is deliberately not shown, but Rogue's reactions both during and after the incident make it fairly clear that she didn't go through with it.
69	* In a non-canon ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' comic, a NotQuiteDead Darth Maul tracks Obi-Wan Kenobi down to Tatooine and engages in a short but vicious fight with him that ends with Obi-Wan's deactivated lightsaber against Maul's forehead. Thumb hovering over the activation stud, Obi-Wan wavers indecisively until [[spoiler:a badly injured and pissed-off Owen Lars blows Maul's head off]].
70	* In ''ComicBook/{{Swordquest}}: Fireworld'', Torr spares a pair of fire-goblins (who were previously attacking him) after they are backed into a corner and cowering for mercy.
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Fan Works]]
74	* An ([[AntiVillain anti-]]) villainous example in ''Webcomic/ADreamerReborn''. Chara eventually [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=786bb0vGdJM has Asriel at their mercy]] -- he has barely a single hitpoint of health left, they're poised over him with a knife, he's helpless to stop them killing him... and then:
75	-->'''Chara:''' ''I... I... [[VillainousBSOD I can't]].''
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
79	* In the climax of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', Beast [[NeckLift is holding Gaston by the neck]] over the ledge of the castle threatening to drop him to death. However, [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim he can't go through with it and grudgingly spares Gaston]] giving him a firm {{Get Out}}. However, Gaston responds by [[BackstabBackfire stabbing Beast in the back still trying to kill him, only to lose his balance and fall to his death]].
80	* This happens at the ''beginning'' of ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2010''. Hiccup has always wanted to make a name for himself by killing a dragon, and has finally succeeded, catching the most feared Night Fury in a net. Now all he has to do is to strike at the defenseless creature. Hiccup stands resolute, dagger overhead... then realises that he can't do it, and frees the dragon instead. Then the trope gets an instant role reversal, as the dragon (who will eventually become his [[ForbiddenFriendship friend]] Toothless) pins Hiccup to a rock, seems to prepare a killing breath of fire... then just roars in his face and flies off.
81	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', when the protagonist is revealed to have been a woman, Shang is about to kill her... but then decides not to as she did just save the entire army. And ''his'' life during the avalanche.
82	-->'''Shang:''' A life for a life. My debt is repaid.
83	* When heroic Justin and wicked Jenner engage in a swordfight in ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'', Jenner raises his sword for an overhead stroke. Justin uses the opportunity to deliver a simple jab that pierces Jenner's left lung. Jenner cries in pain, drops his crooked sword and reels backward, clutching his wound. Justin, having no desire to hack at a wounded adversary, drops his sword to extol his fellow rats to complete the exodus that the slain Nicodemus planned. Jenner, however, recovers his sword and makes another attempt to cleave Justin. [[spoiler:Jenner's cohort Sullivan, in a HeelFaceTurn, throws a dagger that fells Jenner before he can strike.]]
84	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'', Tarzan has Clayton at his mercy, aims Clayton's gun at his throat, and ''imitates'' the sound of a gunshot. He then destroys the gun. Clayton tries to attack Tarzan afterward but inadvertently hangs himself, ''despite Tarzan attempting to warn him that he's doing so''.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
88	* In ''Film/BadBoys1995'', Mike does this at the end with the drug kingpin who murdered the woman he [[UnresolvedSexualTension kinda loved]]. He doesn't fire. Then the baddie pulls a gun from behind his back, giving Mike all the excuse he needs to empty his gun's clip into his body.
89	* ''Film/Daredevil2003'': Daredevil has the Kingpin at his mercy and is about to deliver a skull-crushing blow with the Kingpin's own walking stick (which may have been used to [[YouKilledMyFather kill Matt Murdock's father]]), but instead slams it on the floor and allows the police to arrest him.
90	* In ''Film/Deadpool2016'', the titular hero has the BigBad who tortured him nonstop to activate his mutant genes, ruined his body and kidnapped his girlfriend under a gun and helpless. Colossus attempts to intervene with a heartwarming speech about what it means to be a 'hero', encouraging Deadpool to relent in his anger and be the better man. [[spoiler:Deadpool, [[SociopathicHero being Deadpool]], responds by blowing the big bad's brains out.]]
91	* The climax of the film ''Film/TheEndOfTheSpear'', which is based on a true story, is built around Steve Saint struggling with whether or not to kill the tribesman who killed his father. (However, as Website/{{Wikipedia}} notes, "the dramatic climactic reconciliation between Steve as an adult and Mincayani did not actually happen as depicted in the film". They did, however, become and remain friends.)
92	* ''Film/Fearless2006'': The unarmed variation. Jet Li's character Huo Yuanjia knows a DangerousForbiddenTechnique that causes his opponent's heart to explode. He himself is dying from poison and the only way he can win the match is to use it. [[spoiler:Right before he dies, he shows his opponent that he could pull it off, but chooses not to, having gone through a movie's worth of CharacterDevelopment to realize that pride, even for one's own nation, is not worth murdering somebody over.]]
93	* ''Film/GeminiMan'': Henry Brogan and Clay Jr. know that Clay Varris will go on to create a CloneArmy if left alive, but Henry stops Junior from killing his ParentalSubstitute, knowing the act will scar him for life. Henry takes the shotgun off Junior, and Varris smiles in triumph... only to be [[ShootTheDog shot dead by Henry]].
94	* In ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'', this seems to be the standard end to a matchup when one gladiator is disarmed. Caesar is supposed to decide what happens, but Maximus lets his opponent live anyway.
95	* In ''Film/{{Hook}}'', Peter Pan does this with Captain Hook at his mercy, only to have Hook lunge at him and claw his arm instead.
96	* ''Film/KaamelottPremierVolet'': At the end, Myth/KingArthur [[spoiler:readies Excalibur to deliver the CoupDeGrace to a disarmed [[BigBad Lancelot]] who's laying on the ground... but ultimately doesn't kill him and lets him flee, after having a tragic flashback of his youth in the Roman army]].
97	* A version of this trope without ''any'' weapons happens twice in ''Film/TheKarateKidPartII''. At the very start of the film, Mr. Miyagi sees the bad guy teacher from the first movie physically abusing his own students and decides to put a stop to it. After some DeadlyDodging, when he has the EvilTeacher at his mercy, Miyagi repeats that teacher's own motto that mercy is for the weak, winds up for a major blow... then harmlessly tweaks his nose. At the very end, Daniel holds his opponent's life in his hands and asks him, "Live or die, man?" When his opponent says "Die!", Daniel instead copies his mentor and just gives his opponent's nose a tweak.
98	* In ''Film/TheLionInWinter'', King Henry II lifts his sword over his head to execute [[spoiler:his son Richard]], but can't bring himself to go through with it.
99	* ''Film/LockUp'': A variation is used since swords aren't exactly common in prison. After Frank wins a fight against a gang leader who made it personal by [[spoiler:killing First Base]], Frank places him on a bench press and holds the weights over his head, ready to drop it. Despite much prompting from the prisoners and even a distant Warden who's looking on from his office window, Frank realizes that killing the man will put him away for life and relents. [[spoiler:He gets shivved for his troubles.]]
100	* Occurs twice in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'':
101	** Frodo captures Gollum and holds him at swordpoint, but decides to spare him [[TheWoobie out of pity]]. [[KarmicDeath It pays off in the end]].
102	** After Gandalf breaks EvilChancellor Wormtongue's hold over Theoden King of Rohan, Aragorn says that Wormtongue should be allowed to live, because he's ''so'' pathetic and seemingly harmless. This is a [[NiceJobBreakingItHero very nice job of breaking it]] since Wormtongue goes to tell Saruman that the people of Rohan are going to Helm's Deep, and how the fortress can be attacked.
103	* Inverted at the end of ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome'', which finishes with Max surrounded by Auntie Entity and her armed goons. She lets him go:
104	-->'''Auntie:''' Well, ain't we a pair? Raggedy man.
105	* Near the end of ''Film/{{Maverick}}'', Marshall Zane Cooper knocks the unarmed [[spoiler:Commodore Duvall]] (who had just double-crossed him) to the ground. Coop picks up a heavy branch and is about to smash his head in:
106	-->'''Coop:''' I've never committed a cold blood murder in my life! ''[{{Beat}}]'' ...and I won't. Not 'til I find Maverick.
107	* ''Film/{{Predator}}'' has a variation. Dutch does this over the fallen title monster, but using a large rock instead of a sword. He relents after noticing the Predator [[BloodFromTheMouth coughing up (green glowing) blood]], showing that he's no longer a threat.
108	* Miraz in ''Film/PrinceCaspian''. Three times in one movie, by two characters, twice in fairly rapid succession, and none of them in [[Literature/PrinceCaspian the original book]].
109	* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'': After the Man in Black defeats Inigo, Inigo begs for a quick death... but is knocked out with the hilt of the sword.
110	-->'''Inigo:''' Kill me quickly.\
111	'''Man In Black:''' I would sooner destroy a stained-glass window than an artist like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me, either... ''[hits him with the hilt]'' Please understand, I hold you in the highest respect.
112	* Variant in ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''. After Robin defeats the Sheriff of Rottingham, he turns away, compliments his sword, and makes to sheathe it... and ''accidentally'' runs the Sheriff through as he tries to backstab Robin.
113	* In ''Film/Serenity2005'', Captain Malcolm Reynolds [[spoiler:(after his moved nerve cluster allows him to escape a [[TheParalyzer paralyzer]] from The Operative) hits the man in the larynx and steals his sword, but instead of killing him uses the sword to secure him to a railing, forcing him to watch as [[GovernmentConspiracy the truth about Miranda]] is revealed]].
114	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
115	** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'':
116	*** Anakin [[AnArmAndALeg disarms]] Count Dooku and finds himself in a position where he can decide Dooku's fate. Palpatine tells Anakin to kill Dooku. Though reluctant, [[StartOfDarkness he actually goes through with it and scissors Dooku's head off]] ([[ManipulativeBastard at Palpatine's encouragement]]).
117	*** When Mace Windu attempts to arrest Palpatine after finding out he's the Sith Lord behind the Clone Wars and has him disarmed and at swordpoint. Anakin shows up despite being warned not to get involved and pleads with Mace not to kill Palpatine, while Mace himself mentally debates whether he should kill him (which would be better for the galaxy but goes against the Jedi's morals) or leave him alive (which would be morally right but extremely risky). There is plenty of DramaticIrony since Anakin found himself in the exact same situation before with Count Dooku but still executed him even though he knew it was wrong.
118	*** At the Battle of Mustafar, Obi-Wan prepares to finish off Anakin in an overhead downward swing, only for his efforts to be blocked. Strangely, the maneuver seemed more appropriate for Anakin's aggressive fighting style, rather than Obi-Wan's defensive style.
119	** In ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Anakin, now Darth Vader, disarms Luke and has him at his mercy in the carbon-freezing chamber on Cloud City. He takes a swing at Luke, but doesn't really try to kill him because he wants Luke alive [[INeedYouStronger so he can become stronger]] and [[DragonWithAnAgenda help overthrow Emperor Palpatine]]. Instead, he tries to herd Luke into the carbonite pit to turn him into a HumanPopsicle, but Luke [[InASingleBound jumps out of it]], retrieves his weapon and continues fighting.
120	** In ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', Luke finally defeats Vader and is about to kill him until he is encouraged by Palpatine, and Luke [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim quickly realizes what he is extremely close to becoming in doing so]]. This convinces Luke to [[SheatheYourSword toss his lightsaber aside]] and show mercy instead of killing his own father, creating a sort of [[CallBack point of divergence]] between Luke and Anakin's histories. In the exact opposite of Anakin killing Dooku 23 years back, Luke spares Vader. This act of mercy is what ultimately causes Vader to [[HeelFaceTurn return to the Light Side of the Force and become Anakin Skywalker once again]].
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Literature]]
124	* OlderThanFeudalism: In ''Literature/TheAeneid'', Aeneas pauses with his sword raised over his vanquished archenemy Turnus... only to see Turnus [[KillTheCutie wearing the belt of Aeneas' protegé Pallas]]. Even in antiquity, this subversion was upsetting to numerous commentators.
125	* Late in ''Literature/BloodMeridian'', the kid (well, he's a teenager) and the ex-priest Tobin find the monstrous Judge Holden trapped and at their mercy, and Tobin actually tells the kid to take his gun and do it, kill him now, but the kid -- even though the alternative is to let him die of thirst -- chooses not to. The judge gets out, later, and nothing good comes of it.
126	* In ''Literature/{{Corsair}}'', Canale does this at the end of the fight with his brother. He does follow through in actually killing him.
127	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
128	** In ''Literature/MenAtArms'', when Vimes wants to kill a man (to be fair, he was under the influence of the gonne), Carrot eventually convinces him not to, saying "Personal isn't the same as important." Of course, when the man himself goes for the gun, Carrot kills him, running the man through as well as piercing the foot-thick granite column behind him.
129	** A different force is tugging at Vimes's base urge for vengeance in ''Literature/{{Thud}}'', and when it lets loose, he leaves a significant body count, but relents before he either strikes the BigBad or rips apart from the stress of not doing so.
130	** This is a manifestation of one of his defining traits -- the constant temptation to take the law into his own hands (by killing the villain), and his constant refusal to give in to that temptation. Even when he kills Wolfgang in ''Literature/TheFifthElephant'', he gives Wolfgang every warning and chance to surrender first. Wolfgang doesn't ''really'' believe "Mister Civilized" is capable of killing him. [[YourHeadAsplode He's wrong]].
131	** In the climax of ''Literature/{{Mort}}'', the title character is in a position to seemingly kill Death but knows that doing so would just mean [[FateWorseThanDeath taking his place]] for the rest of Eternity. Death responds by [[GroinAttack kicking him in the groin]].
132	%%** It happened ''previously'' in ''Literature/{{Night Watch\|Discworld}}'' with [[spoiler:the villain Carcer]].
133	* Akin to the Hornblower example below, the first ''Literature/{{Flashman}}'' novel has a variant with the pistol duel -- after his opponent has shot his ball and missed, Flashman spends some time trying to make him squirm, before dramatically pointing his pistol to one side and firing without looking. By sheer fluke, Flash's shot takes the top off a wine bottle on a nearby table, giving him an unwarranted reputation as a crack shot...
134	* Near the end of book 1 of the ''Literature/{{Gone}}'' series, Sam has just defeated Caine and could easily kill him with his [[EnergyWeapon superpowers]]. Caine tells Sam to "Go ahead and do it", but Sam just tells him to leave Perdido Beach. Might be a case of ThickerThanWater since they are also twin brothers.
135	* ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy'': The nature of this trope, particularly the alternate ending (namely, that killing in self-defense is acceptable, but killing in cold blood is not), is explored towards the end.
136	* In the ''Literature/JohnRain'' book ''The Killer Ascendant'', HitmanWithAHeart Rain considers doing this with CIA RogueAgent Jim Hilger (who had kidnapped and tortured his friend Dox) because he's considering changing his ways from being a cold-blooded killer. As a concession he allows Hilger to make a phone call to his sister as a LastRequest, has a sudden thought that Hilger is using the call to activate a bomb remotely and kills him. Later Rain wonders if he allowed Hilger to make the call just so he'd have an excuse to kill him.
137	* In ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'', the Battle of Vermillion ends with [[spoiler:Yang having Reinhart's flagship -- and Reinhart with it --]] dead to rights and defenseless and only an order away from killing him. While the cast begins discussing amongst themselves [[KillHimAlready whether to finish him off or not]], [[spoiler:Reuental and Mittenmeyer conquer TheFederation's headquarters, and the politicians surrender and order Yang to stand down. He does]].
138	* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': In addition to the examples of Gollum and Wormtongue, noted above under the Films entry, Frodo does this to Saruman at the end. After Saruman has all but destroyed the Shire out of spite, he then tries to personally kill Frodo (to no avail thanks to Frodo's hidden mithril-mail shirt). The other hobbits are just about to kill Saruman when Frodo to stop them, partly because he wants no more killing at all, and partly out of respect for Saruman's former status and nature. Saruman starts to leave, apparently honestly this time, only to mistreat Wormtongue for the last time...
139	* ''Literature/TheManWithTheTerribleEyes'': A variant with electrical powers rather than a physical weapon. After he's won their fight and has the Supervisor on the ground at his mercy, the Man stands over him and is torn between the desire to kill him after all he'd done to him and his disgust at the thought of murdering him in cold blood. He eventually decides to let him live.
140	* Subverted in the ''Literature/PathsOfDarkness'' novel ''The Silent Blade''. Drizzt and a nearly suicidal Artemis Entreri have just finished a fight to the not-quite-death. Drizzt sheaths his sword and walks away when Artemis charges him from behind. Drizzt gets his guard up, draws his blades, and stabs Artemis through the torso...but unbeknownst to either of them, a psionic barrier has been placed around Artemis' body by one of [[MagnificentBastard Jarlaxle]]'s lieutenants, which channels the kinetic energy from Drizzt's strike into Entreri, who then uses it unconsciously to punch a hole barehanded through Drizzt's chest. [[spoiler:Unbeknownst to Entreri, he gets better.]]
141	* In the third book of the ''Literature/PrinceRoger'' series, Roger does exactly this to his traitorous father, and is only talked down by his fiancé.
142	* Occurs near the end of ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror'' when [[spoiler:Ahrek, after managing to beat Daylen in their TrialByCombat, struggles with their similarities and his [[VengeanceFeelsEmpty years of empty hatred]] while Daylen [[PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou urges him to do it]]. To Daylen's utter surprise, Ahrek instead chooses [[{{Forgiveness}} to forgive him]], and the sword doesn't fall]].
143	* This happens twice in the ''Literature/SkylarkSeries''. Twice the arch-enemy gets in so far over his head that he's forced to call on the hero to rescue him, and incidentally wipe out a threat to human civilization.
144	* ''Literature/WarsOfTheRealm'': In the series' final fight, Validus ends up more or less literally in this position as he corners an unarmed Niturni at swordpoint and finds himself completely unwilling to kill him.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
148	* In ''Series/The10thKingdom'', the heroes have the evil Huntsman at their mercy and Wolf is preparing to kill him when Virginia stops him. Wolf correctly points out that this will only leave him to follow them and that she would regret the decision. This leads to pretty much every reversal the heroes face for the rest of the story.
149	* Done in season one of ''Series/TwentyFour'' when Jack catches an escaping Nina. The same scene is repeated in season three, [[spoiler:except that on that occasion, Jack shoots her dead. The first time, he didn't know that she had just killed his wife]].
150	* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperboy'': The episode "Mine Games" features a ''shovel''-over-head moment. Lex Luthor and Superboy are trapped in a mine, and Luthor starts attacking Superboy with chunks of Kryptonite over Superboy's protests that they could ''both'' die. It ends with Superboy standing over Luthor, poised to kill him, and Luthor [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred outright eggs on him]] as hammily as possible.
151	-->'''Luthor:''' Go on! Kill me! Kill me! If you don't kill me, I'll kill ''you'', you stupid, spineless, weakling simp! ''[[ChewingTheScenery MURDER MEEEE!]]''
152	* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
153	** Subverted at the end of Angel's fight with Connor in "[[Recap/AngelS04E22Home Home]]". After interrupting his trauma-ridden son's SuicideByCop attempt, Angel ends up holding a knife over him. He promises to prove that he really does love Connor -- and brings the knife down. Thanks to a deal with Wolfram & Hart, Connor is magically given a normal life.
154	** In "[[Recap/AngelS05E15AHoleInTheWorld A Hole in the World]]", Gunn incapacitates Knox and holds a large object over his head, wanting to smash Knox's head in, but can't do it -- probably because he knows that the team need to get as much info out of Knox as they can. (Wesley does him in later).
155	* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': This happens several times in the first two seasons, as Travis (and sometimes Servalan) has PlotArmor, since he has to survive to serve as Blake's ArchEnemy. The reasons given include Blake knowing that the Federation would just send someone else (and he's convinced he can always beat Travis), [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim because he's worried he'd enjoy it]], or as a CruelMercy (because Travis will be punished for failing, or because he's lost everything after going RogueAgent). When AntiHero Avon becomes the leader, he's not burdened by such qualms, so Servalan usually arranges a MexicanStandoff or VillainExitStageLeft. However, Avon (and Tarrant in "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS4E9Sand Sand]]", despite Servalan arranging the death of his brother) seem equally [[FoeRomanceSubtext reluctant to kill her]] as Blake was to kill Travis.
156	* In ''Series/{{Bones}}'', Booth escapes SerialKiller Howard Epps by one hand as he dangles over a ledge and can't hold on. He later goes to psychological counseling for a different matter, where it comes up that he feels guilty because he isn't sure if he tried hard enough to keep Epps from falling to his death.
157	* ''Series/BreakingBad'': An early episode has Walt debating whether or not to kill the captive [[WarmUpBoss Krazy-8]], even going so far as to write up a pros and cons list. He eventually realizes that Krazy-8 is too dangerous to let live and strangles him to death.
158	* In the mini-series ''Series/{{Brotherhood of the Rose}}'', adapted from the novel by David Morrell, CIA assassin Saul is confronting his treacherous ParentalSubstitute Elliot with an Uzi. Elliot has killed Saul's brother and [[BackstabBackfire has just tried to kill him under the guise of a truce]], so at this point in the novel, he dies. In the mini-series, however, Saul knocks him out with the Uzi but then blows up the secret cache of blackmail files Elliot has been using to maintain his power in the CIA, forcing him into retirement.
159	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
160	** In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS1E7Angel Angel]]", the eponymous hero attempts SuicideByCop by provoking Buffy into killing him. Eventually, Buffy gets Angel in her crossbow sights; to Angel's surprise, the Slayer intentionally shoots wide and her bolt thunks into the wall beside his head.
161	--->'''Angel:''' Little wide...
162	** Buffy nearly overpowers Angelus in their first encounter ("[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E14Innocence Innocence]]") but can't bring herself to finish him, so she settles for [[GroinAttack a kick to the groin]] instead.
163	* Variations of this trope happen several times in ''Series/{{Chuck}}'':
164	** Sarah has Fulcrum operative Mauser at gunpoint after a particularly savage fight and prepares to arrest him. Mauser then begins to taunt her about knowing Chuck is the Intersect and how his compatriots will do everything in their power to free him. Sarah hesitates for a moment and lowers her gun, then subverts this by snapping her gun back up and shooting him dead.
165	** While under the effects of an experimental drug intended to suppress the emotions of agents in the field, (thus allowing the Intersect to function normally) Chuck lifts a mook into the air by the throat and begins to strangle him. He finally releases the man when Casey and Sarah arrive and he realizes what he very nearly did.
166	** After a short close-range fight, [[spoiler:Shaw]] takes Sarah prisoner and holds Chuck at gunpoint, but allows Chuck to live since he holds no ill-will towards him. This gives Chuck the opportunity to come to Sarah's rescue and [[spoiler:shoot Shaw]].
167	** Later in that same season Chuck has [[spoiler:Shaw]] by the throat in a death grip. [[spoiler:Shaw attempts to provoke him into finishing the job, but Chuck comments he already did in a CallBack to the above scene and releases him.]]
168	* In the series finale of ''Series/Daredevil2015'', [[spoiler:Matt Murdock has Wilson Fisk dead to rights, beaten to a pulp, and is sorely, ''sorely'' tempted to snap the villain's neck with his bare hands; Fisk even dares him to do so, with Matt's hands in place on his jaw and skull. Matt instead roars in fury, screaming a blistering TheReasonYouSuckSpeech in Fisk's face; Matt leaves Fisk to be arrested, warning him that if Fisk tries to seek retribution on Matt's friends, Matt will ensure that Fisk's wife is also sent to prison for ordering the murder of Ray Nadeem]].
169	* In ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', when Dexter is about to kill [[spoiler:Rudy by draining him of all his blood, he holds the knife above his neck... but he then kills him anyway, [[KilledMidSentence mid-sentence]] no less]].
170	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
171	** A lot of times in the Classic series, the Doctor plays this straight. Even in the DarkerAndEdgier New Who series, it's [[WeUsedToBeFriends played straight with the Master]], whom the Doctor is reluctant to kill despite having every reason to do so.
172	** In "[[Recap/DoctorWho2005CSTheChristmasInvasion The Christmas Invasion]]", after the Doctor has defeated the Sycorax Leader in a swordfight while maintaining a running monologue about what sort of person his new incarnation is, he accepts the alien's surrender and walks off. When the Sycorax gets up and charges at him, he uses a satsuma to knock him off the ship, without breaking stride. "[[BackstabBackfire No second chances]]. I'm ''that'' sort of a man."
173	** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E6TheDoctorsDaughter The Doctor's Daughter]]", [[spoiler:after the nearly happy ending, the baddie kills the Doctor's daughter (OppositeSexClone) out of spite. The Doctor takes his gun and points it at his head, breathing fast and heavy for several seconds before throwing it away and saying "I never would", finally encouraging those around him to forge their society on the principles of the man who "never would". It should be noted his daughter came back to life, though she didn't regenerate. Having two hearts sure comes in handy]].
174	* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' has Malcolm Reynolds holding his opponent at swordpoint at the end of a duel to the death.
175	-->'''Mal:''' Having to lie there while the better man refuses to spill your blood. Mercy is the mark of a great man. ''[lightly stabs his opponent in the side]'' Guess I'm just a good man. ''[stabs him again]'' Well, I'm alright.
176	* An unusual choice occurs in the ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' episode "Shades of Gray": Sylar finally confronts [[spoiler:his father, Samson Grey, his motives for finding him having changed after realizing that he is responsible for killing his mother]]. A few interesting facts and one borderline HannibalLecture later, he gives Sylar a choice point-blank -- kill him now... or ''kill the fuzzy bunny''. Sylar hesitates, then kills the bunny and they keep talking.
177	* ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' has a couple. Richie can't bring himself to kill Annie during his first duel as an immortal, and Duncan won't kill Kristen despite being betrayed by her twice in "Chivalry".
178	* ''Series/HoratioHornblower'': In "The Duel", Midshipman Hornblower fights a duel with Midshipman Simpson. Simpson fires early and causes only superficial injury before begging for his life, and Hornblower points his pistol up into the air and fires, refusing to kill Simpson [[CruelMercy purely out of spite]]. This psychs out Simpson who tries to stab Hornblower InTheBack with a knife and is killed by Captain Pellew, their commanding officer.
179	* Defied in ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'' with [[spoiler:Professor Banno. He's at Gou's mercy, who he had played like a fiddle thanks to being his father. When Banno tries to have Gou spare him under the pretense of improving the world, Gou doesn't even listen and simply takes his dead friend's weapon and murders Banno for all the things the asshole's ever done]].
180	* In the first episode of ''Series/{{Luther}}'', the titular detective is chasing a SerialKiller through an industrial site when a gantry gives way and the latter is left dangling. Luther doesn't try to help him up; the guy falls and ends up in a coma.
181	* In ''Series/Merlin2008'', Arthur has several of these moments: with Olaf in series 2 (though he's not exactly a villain), with Derian in series 4, and with Odin in series 5.
182	* In ''Series/Numb3rs'', the guy helping the cops has killed several people, but has the real baddie's money. The baddie kills his dad and holds the sister hostage, and after a complex series of actions, ends up with the BigBad's gun with a SWAT team pointing guns at them. Since he vowed to confess to his earlier crimes if they rescued his sister (they had), he says he has nothing to live for. Don convinces to lower the gun.
183	-->'''Big Bad:''' See you in Leavenworth.\
184	'''Guy:''' [[spoiler:''[shoots him in the leg, drops gun]'' That's so I can hear you comin'!]]
185	* ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'': [[spoiler:Antonio has such a moment with Deker in "A Stroke of Fate". Deker is semiconscious after the previous episode and is key to Serrator's plan. It would be easy to stab him and thwart Serrator's plot then and there. But Antonio cannot bring himself to kill a defenseless opponent, and so sheathes his Barracuda Blade and walks away. But he's still guilty over leaving the threat of Serrator's plan out there, so he later tries to track Deker down; leading to a ''second'' instance of this trope as Deker basically dares him to attack. He still can't do it.]]
186	* ''Series/RizzoliAndIsles'': Jane Rizzoli has Hoyt, "The Surgeon", in this situation, though with a scalpel instead of a sword (incidentally, a scalpel he had just cut her and Dr. Isles with). Unlike most of the trope examples, ''she follows through''.
187	-->'''Jane:''' I win! And you're going to Hell ''alone''.
188	* ''Series/{{Sharpe}}'': In ''Sharpe's Revenge'', Richard Sharpe gets involved in a pistol duel at dawn. He lets his opponent shoot first, and miss. The opponent and the witness beg Sharpe to show mercy, and eventually, after much consideration, Sharpe does: he shoots his opponent in the arse instead. Things happen differently in [[Literature/{{Sharpe}} the book]] -- Sharpe aims for the other man's belly, hoping to give him a slow and painful death (bear in mind that this guy had left Sharpe and a handful of men to face certain death, and a lot of them didn't make it out). Unfortunately, the pistol pulls slightly to one side and instead [[ShotInTheAss pierces his buttocks]].
189	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
190	** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'':
191	*** A variation in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E3WhereNoManHasGoneBefore Where No Man Has Gone Before]]". After beating up Gary Mitchell, Kirk holds a large rock over his head, threatening him, but hesitates over killing his friend. He loses his chance when Mitchell regains his power.
192	*** Similarly, in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E18Arena Arena]]", Kirk has the Gorn captain at his mercy, then throws his weapon aside and declares that he refuses to kill him. This turns out to be how he passes a SecretTestOfCharacter.
193	** Subverted in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E7Reunion Reunion]]" -- Duras kills K'Ehleyr, so Worf goes over to his ship to fight him and knocks Duras down onto his back. At this point, Riker and Data arrive -- Riker calls out to Worf, but is completely ignored, and Worf kills Duras.
194	** In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E19BloodOath Blood Oath]]", Dax balks at killing the Albino, despite having sworn a blood oath to do so. Ironically this is mistaken for OnlyICanKillHim by Klingon warrior Kang, who stabs the Albino InTheBack while he's mocking Dax's lack of resolve. Kang then thanks Dax for allowing him to strike the death blow.
195	* In ''Series/{{Witchblade}}'', Sara holds the point of the titular Witchblade against the throat of the man who killed her father, best friend, and partner. In the end, she chooses to arrest him.
196	[[/folder]]
197
198	[[folder:Music]]
199	* In ''Music/OperationMindcrime II'', the protagonist has the BigBad Dr. X at gunpoint for a song, debating whether or not to do him in. [[spoiler:On the last line, he pulls the trigger.]]
200	[[/folder]]
201
202	[[folder:Theatre]]
203	* ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'': As Claudius kneels to pray, Hamlet is given the perfect chance to slay him and avenge his father's murder. Unfortunately for everyone, Hamlet decides that killing Claudius in prayer would send him to {{Heaven}}, and he'd rather send him to {{Hell}}.[[note]]Made especially funny by the fact that during the course of his praying, Claudius admits that he knows what he did was evil, and does not feel regret for it -- so had Hamlet killed Claudius, he most likely would've gone to Hell instead of Heaven.[[/note]] He spares Claudius for the time being, ultimately causing the tragic end to the play.
204	[[/folder]]
205
206	[[folder:Video Games]]
207	* At the end of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', Ezio kneels beside [[spoiler:Rodrigo Borgia]] in the same Animus back room used for every major assassination in the series. Then, he retracts his blade and walks away.
208	-->'''Ezio:''' No more killing. I'm done.
209	* Different variations are used a lot of times in the ''VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga''.
210	** ''VideoGame/JediKnightDarkForcesII'':
211	*** After Kyle defeats the first of [[BigBad Jerec]]'s Dark Jedi, Yun, he has him at his mercy but lets him live, leading to [[spoiler:his extra-quick RedemptionEqualsDeath later on in the Light Side story or another duel in the Dark Side one]].
212	*** With Maw, the situation is similar, but Kyle is being tempted by the Dark Side and simply cuts him down.
213	*** In the Light Side ending, [[spoiler:Kyle has disarmed Jerec but decides to give him another chance and give him back his lightsaber. Jerec lunges at him again, and... well, if you read the trope description, you'll know what happens]].
214	** In ''VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast'', instead of literally threatening someone with a weapon, Kyle dangles Tavion in the air with Force Grip at the end of their duel and is about to kill her. [[spoiler:He lets her go after she tells him she didn't really kill Jan Ors.]]
215	** ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'':
216	*** After Jaden Korr defeats Rosh Penin, they seem to be about to enter a situation like this, but are interrupted by the arrival of Kyle Katarn and Tavion. They return to the setup when they next meet when Rosh is hardly much of a villain anymore, but Jaden is still angry at him. [[spoiler:Whether the player chooses to attack Rosh next or not determines whether you get the Dark Side or Light Side ending.]]
217	*** Towards the end in the Light Side story, [[spoiler:Tavion is determined to avoid this fate after being beaten by Jaden, and as a result ends up possessed by the dead Sith Lord she has been worshipping. In the Dark Side version, she tells Jaden to GetItOverWith, and they comply. Then have to fight Kyle Katarn instead]].
218	* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors''/''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'':
219	** This happens constantly in the series, especially in cutscenes thanks to scripted deaths (beating the prior to the time you should, personally, just makes them run away and say a snarky comment or berate themselves), though sometimes accomplishing totally unrelated missions will allow you to dispatch a few of them early.
220	** In ''Dynasty Warriors 6: Special'', Cao Pi has a moment of this having captured [[spoiler:[[TreacherousAdvisor Sima Yi]]]] after the latter failed coup d'etat. [[spoiler:He spares his life, and the scene fades to black with Sima Yi mocking the entire Cao family.]]
221	* Used in both endings of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''.
222	** In the "Dark Side" ending, [[spoiler:Emperor Palpatine tells Starkiller to prove his loyalty by killing Kota, a Jedi. After a moment's hesitation, he turns and attacks Palpatine. It doesn't end well]].
223	** By contrast, the "Light Side" ending has [[spoiler:Palpatine not only at his mercy, but ''demanding'' that Starkiller [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred strike him down]]. Starkiller nearly goes ahead and does it, but is talked into not giving into his anger and spares him. This turns out to be ''exactly'' as bad an idea as it sounds when a moment later, Stormtroopers flood in while Palpatine catches his breath, gets back up, takes another shot at Starkiller and [[DoomedByCanon successfully kills him]] in a rematch. Whoops]].
224	* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver2'': Raziel holds the Soul Reaver over his head in order to execute Kain, [[spoiler:only to spare him in the last second, changing his destiny and the course of history forever]].
225	* In ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' if you have a katana or nearly any sword and do a [[OneHitKill fully charged killing blow]], after the enemy is knocked into a kneeling position, Neo raises the sword above his head before bringing it down.
226	* ''VideoGame/MurderInTheAlps'': In the conclusion of ''The Dada Killer'', the eponymous SerialKiller is injured and held at gunpoint by Anna while her police friend calls for help. [[MadArtist Wanting to go down in history as an artistic genius]], the murderer [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred attempts to make Anna shoot him]] by bragging that all the murders he committed gave the IntrepidReporter juicy content for her article. Enraged and [[ItsPersonal deeply affected]] by [[spoiler:Judit's murder]], Anna points her gun at the Dada Killer for several intense seconds until she lowers the gun and states that she refuses to give him the satisfaction.
227	* If you play as a [[FighterMageThief Fighter]] in ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryII'', you will encounter ''two'' duels which provide an example of this trope. First time is a duel which you have to pass in order to be accepted to the Fighter's Guild, where you are encouraged by the guild to kill your opponent, yet are able to spare him. Second time is the swordfight with Khaveen, in which you knock his sword from his hand and can either finish him off or allow him to pick his sword. Khaveen will knock your sword as well, and will not hesitate before hitting you. It does take him some time to do this, though.
228	* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' is an odd case of this being between two ''heroes'', namely series veteran Chris Redfield and newcomer Jake Muller, [[spoiler:the son of series villain Albert Wesker]]. When it's revealed in the final chapter of both their routes that [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Chris is the one who killed Wesker]] before the events of this game]], Jake grows enraged and draws his gun on Chris, intending on shooting him in the face. He pulls slightly to the side at the last second, grazing the side of Chris's face.
229	-->'''Jake:''' There are bigger things than you and me...
230	* Happens in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' shortly after TheReveal, with [[spoiler:Kratos]] raising his sword to deal the finishing blow to Lloyd. [[spoiler:He can't do it, because Lloyd is his son.]] The BigBad shows up a moment later to [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose kick the party around more]] and then do it himself, which provides LaResistance enough time to mount a rescue. If you do actually win the battle, the situation is reversed; Lloyd is about to finish off [[spoiler:Kratos]] when the BigBad arrives.
231	* In ''VideoGame/{{Tenchu}} 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins'', Lord Gohda is engaged in a swordfight with his uncle, who has led a revolt against him, and ends up knocking his uncle's sword away. Of course, being the good and noble lord, Gohda hesitates and lowers his weapon. His uncle then repays this kindness by pulling out a gun and shooting him. It is then that the player-controlled Rikimaru steps in, cuing a boss fight. After the fight, the trope occurs again, with Rikumaru poised over the uncle. Of course, being a ninja, Rikimaru slashes, but Gohda leaps in and takes the slash to his back. The uncle, touched by this, proceeds to scamper off and kill Gohda's wife and kidnap his daughter. Nice guy.
232	* At the climax of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'', Shulk is preparing to strike down [[spoiler:Egil, the engineer of the Mechon and mastermind behind the attacks on the Bionis]], but Shulk hesitates, even as [[spoiler:Zanza]] yells at him to go through with it already. While Shulk takes the swing, he refuses to go through with killing [[spoiler:Egil]], as he realizes that the two [[NotSoDifferentRemark aren't so different]], and seeks to reach a mutual understanding.
233	[[/folder]]
234
235	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
236	* Played almost perfectly straight in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', during the climactic duel between [[spoiler:Keiichi and Rena]], when [[spoiler:Rena]] is holding her [[spoiler:hatchet]] over her head.
237	[[/folder]]
238
239	[[folder:Webcomics]]
240	* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Raven has Abraham at his mercy after their sword fight and asks him to surrender so he doesn't have to kill him.
241	* In the ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'' arc "To Thine Own Self", Nega-Trudy ponders killing Nega-Nick, but Nick-Prime convinces her not to do it by saying that having been around his EvilCounterpart, what he could potentially have been, and that Nega-Trudy could, by doing so, become what she hated most.
242	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Jenka has Othar disarmed and has her sword to his throat, but threatens him rather than kill him, possibly because she was hoping to learn what he'd done with Da Boyz. Da Boyz interrupt by pseudo-fighting her which throws her for a loop, and she tosses Othar aside even though she could have easily removed his head at any point.
243	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
244	** Near the start of the comic, Elan must decide whether or not to let his brother Nale fall over a cliff to his death. He [[SaveTheVillain pulls him up]].
245	** Subverted much, much later in the story, when Elan finds himself in a similar situation with [[spoiler:his father Tarquin]]. This time, he lets him fall, but only because he knows that as a high-level character, [[spoiler:Tarquin]] has enough hit points to survive the fall, and because it was one of the few ways to deny giving [[spoiler:Tarquin]] anything he wanted in that situation.
246	* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': When Ja Wangnan spared Kim Lurker. Ja's friend Nia had been set up to betray Ja and the team by the loan company Lurker was working for so that Lurker and his team could advance to the next floor. After the successful betrayal, Lurker killed Nia [[YouKnowTooMuch to be on the safe side]], since he was betraying his employers as well and couldn't risk leaving any witnesses behind. When Lurker is defeated and Ja is about to activate the grenade jammed between his jaws, he realizes that the only thing he can do is forgive him, because he forgave Nia for betraying him just as Nia was betrayed, because the three of them were basically not so different in being coerced to stop others, causing their inevitable demise[[note]] even Lurker had his reasons[[/note]] and because in a world of constant struggle, a pragmatic reason for killing somebody is way better than any ethical justification of revenge.
247	[[/folder]]
248
249	[[folder:Web Videos]]
250	* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'': When [[spoiler:Trent Ikithon]] is defeated by the Mighty Nein after his attack on the Blooming Grove, he is quickly surrounded and pinned down. Essek paralyzes him with Hold Person, Beau sits on his chest with her first reared back should he try anything, Fjord holds a blade to his neck, [[spoiler:Veth]] aims a charged crossbow bolt at him, Yasha steps on his groin while jabbing her gigantic greatsword into his sternum, just deep enough to draw blood, and [[spoiler:Astrid]] is ultimately the one to trigger the Collar of Silence, shutting him up for good. All of them want him dead, but Beau and Caleb ultimately stop [[spoiler:Astrid]] from finishing the job, not because they don't think it would be the right thing to do, but because they want [[spoiler:Trent]] and the institutions that enabled him to be held accountable.
251	[[/folder]]
252
253	[[folder:Western Animation]]
254	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
255	** In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSouthernAirTemple The Southern Air Temple]]", Prince Zuko leaves his arch-rival Commander Zhao unscathed when he's perfectly poised to kill him after defeating him in a Firebending duel. Zhao does rise up to deliver a flaming kick to the head from behind but is effortlessly deflected by Zuko's [[MentorArchetype mentor]], his uncle Iroh. Zuko appears more than ready to finish the fight after this action but is instructed by Iroh not to taint his victory and honor.
256	** In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSouthernRaiders The Southern Raiders]]", Katara hunts down the man who murdered her mother when she was a young girl. When she has the now pathetic old man cornered and helpless [[spoiler:she abruptly stops herself from going through with a fatal strike at the very last moment. Even she seems unsure if it was because she didn't want to kill someone who was helpless in cold blood, if leaving him to continue living his miserable life was the best possible punishment for him, or if seeing how empty and pathetic he was made her decide there would be no satisfaction in it]].
257	** In the [[spoiler:FinalBattle, Aang]] passes up two opportunities to kill [[spoiler:Ozai]], including a FinishingMove when he is trapped and helpless. [[spoiler:Instead, he takes away his [[ElementalPowers Firebending]].]]
258	* The ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' episode "Dan Vs. Chris" culminates in an "[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Amok Time]]"-esque battle in the rain over a piece of sci-fi memorabilia, ending with Chris at the edge of a cliff, Dan apparently considering it... but a montage of memories seems to convince him otherwise. A minute later, spoofing the formula, Dan gives us the following dialogue:
259	-->'''Chris:''' Why didn't you kill me?\
260	'''Dan:''' I was going to. But then I thought: 'Nah.'
261	* In the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'' episode "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E6DoubleDate Double Date]]", Huntress prepares to shoot Stephen Mandragora, the thoroughly despicable mob boss who [[YouKilledMyFather killed her parents in front of her at a young age]], and seems perfectly willing to put a crossbow bolt through him... until [[spoiler:[[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son Edgar]] shows up behind him, and she finds she can't bring herself to inflict the same trauma on the boy]].
262	* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'': After an intense showdown, Matrix has Megabyte in this situation but with a trident instead of a sword, Matrix says how Megabyte has ruined his life and brings the trident down... just an inch from his and then says: "Surprised? Don't be. You're [[NotWorthKilling not worth it]]. Mainframe will ''always'' endure. Remember this defeat, this humiliation! Remember that you can ''never'' win!
263	* In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', a katana-wielding robot does this, in a direct reference to the ''Franchise/StarWars'' example above, including the line "All too easy."
264	* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "[[Recap/SouthParkS6E17RedSleighDown Red Sleigh Down]]" when after being freed from his torture, Santa takes a gun and shoots the person who tortured him. It looks and sounds like he shot to the side but then we see the victim and Santa says "I just couldn't do it, I just couldn't let him live. He shocked Santa's balls." It's probably a reference to a scene from the movie ''Film/ThreeKings'', in which after saving Barlow from his Iraqi torturers Major Gates hands Barlow his pistol. Barlow stares at the pistol, then at his interrogator, who wasn't so different, and finally points it to the side at the last minute and empties the clip into the wall.
265	* At the tail end of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003''' "City at War" arc, Karai does this to one of the defeated Foot Elite. She takes the swing but refrains from cleaving his head, settling for destroying his hat instead.
266	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': [[spoiler:In "Endgame", Optimus Prime has Megatron at his mercy and is filled with vengeance after learning that Prowl has been KilledOffForReal. He swings the mighty Magnus Hammer to deliver the final blow, only to strike his fusion cannon and merely cuff Megatron instead. (Since the Magnus Hammer needs a few moments to charge for a full-powered lightning strike, it's possible that Optimus only hesitated to charge rather than the moral dilemma of letting Megatron live.)]]
267	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'':
268	** Subverted when Arcee is about to kill Megatron (who is badly damaged and on life support), but is convinced to stand down because Megatron has information the Autobots need. As soon as they get it, Arcee cuts Megatron's life support. Megatron survives this, but only because Arcee was in too much of a hurry to make sure she succeeded.
269	** Played straight twice later with Optimus and Megatron.
270	** In another episode, the Decepticon Starscream finds himself hammered into submission with Arcee's blade against his neck. Having promised to defect to her side, boasted about killing her partner without thinking, tried to snivel his way out of a fight to the death and nearly killed her himself when she started to show mercy, he's certain that begging for his life won't do him any good at this stage, so (seemingly recognizing the routine) he pleads with her, with wide eyes, to [[GetItOverWith finish him herself and get it over with]].
271	--->'''Starscream:''' Go on! Do it! Megatron will only terminate me for treason if I dare return to the Decepticons now. You may as well be the one to put me out of my misery.\
272	'''Arcee:''' ''[hesitates, then pulls blade back]'' [[NoSell As if I needed convincing]].\
273	'''Starscream:''' ''[realizing that she's actually going to do it]'' What?! WAIT! ''NO!''[[note]]At that moment, Arcee's fellow Autobot Bumblebee happens to show up, and ''that'' puts her off of killing him.[[/note]]
274	[[/folder]]

Context Main / SwordoverHead