| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1315460578081788400 |
| 2 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | [[quoteright:344:[[Webcomic/{{Endstone}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gloating_9653.png]]]] |
| 5 | |
| 6 | ->''"Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions. In... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did."''\ |
| 7 | [beat]\ |
| 8 | ''"Would you like to know which of them were cowards?"'' |
| 9 | -->-- '''ComicBook/TheJoker''', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' |
| 10 | |
| 11 | %% One quote is enough, please put any new one in the Quotes tab. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Villains generally have big egos, and they ''love'' to [[EvilGloating gloat]]. Given the chance, they can't resist the temptation to [[TrashTalk insult the hero]] or to revel in their own wickedness when they think they have the upper hand. A particular brand of EvilGloating favored by those who enjoy relating their many evil deeds is to describe in detail to the hero how the villain has murdered the heroes' friends or loved ones, preferably in the most unpleasant way possible. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Sometimes the villain does this to mess with the heroes' emotions, or because he wants to frighten them, or [[IShallTauntYou provoke them]], or [[ReminiscingAboutYourVictims he enjoys reliving the memory]], or he just plain loves causing pain and cannot resist the chance to confront the hero with this source of anguish. Villains who love to BreakThemByTalking thrive on this. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | However, it is important to note that this trope often has the tendency to backfire on the villain in question. Not only relevant to the dangers that EvilGloating can cause, a villain who mercilessly mocks the hero about how he just butchered their TrueCompanions has a tendency to cause an UnstoppableRage or just give the hero that [[HeroicResolve extra incentive]] to fight back that he needs to put the villain to his end. And woe to the villain who inadvertently awakens a MamaBear or PapaWolf by gleefully telling them they just killed their kids... |
| 18 | |
| 19 | That said, a reasonably common variation is that the person invoking this trope is actually trying to commit SuicideByCop, and either deeply regrets what they did deep down, or even were totally innocent of the crime and are just trying to provoke a reaction for some end. Another variation is the villain who wants the hero to [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred strike them down with all of their hatred]] and are seeking to corrupt them to TheDarkSide, turn them into a HeroWithBadPublicity, or enact a ThanatosGambit or a [[MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning plan that kicks off with their death.]] |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Usually takes the form of the phrase "Would you like to hear how he/she died?" but doesn't have to, the villain may just start giving lurid details unbidden about the last moments of the person they've killed, possibly accompanied by an EvilLaugh, or make things up about how the victim begged for death, or outright lie about killing them entirely just to generate a reaction. It can be combined with a PostRapeTaunt for extra KickTheDog factor. Also bonus points for trying to describe their murder as an UndignifiedDeath, mainly by making their victims out to be cowards. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | This is also a prime way to push the RelativeButton. The exact opposite, on the other hand, is ButForMeItWasTuesday, wherein the villain can't even remember who it was he killed, never mind how they died, which shows [[AMillionIsAStatistic that they've killed so many that they stopped caring about it]] as well as LackOfEmpathy. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | ---- |
| 26 | !!Examples: |
| 27 | |
| 28 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[folder:Anime and Manga]] |
| 31 | * Seryu from ''Manga/AkameGaKill'' pulls a really sickening one on Mine [[spoiler:when she reveals what happened to Chelsea. Kurome had her hacked to pieces by her people puppet Natala, and they examined her remains for intel. After they were done with Chelsea's remains, they fed her body parts to Seryu's dog/Imperial Arm, Koro, and they stuck Chelsea's head on a pike in the middle of the town of Romary. Seryu then gloats about how she's going to feed Mine to Koro after she's killed her, but Mine responds by giving Seryu a scathing TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, and then unleashing her fury via her Imperial Arm, Pumpkin. Seryu and Koro both die in that same fight not long after that.]] |
| 32 | * Hansel does this to Balalaika in ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' when describing how one of her men died -- given how insane he is, whether or not it was an attempt at enraging her or just his general sadism is anyone's guess. Whichever way, [[KneelBeforeZod Balalaika's response]] was probably not one he was expecting. |
| 33 | * ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has [[MadScientist Mayuri Kurotsuchi]] describing to Ishida in horrific detail, what happened to the Quincy during his experiments on them. The one that [[ItsPersonal really makes it personal]] is when he described what happened to Ishida's grandfather, and even produced a graphic [[KickTheDog picture of his remains]]. Having spied on Uryuu for a while before revealing himself, Mayuri seemed to know exactly who Uryuu was. However, he had no idea just what BerserkButton he had pressed until Uryuu one-shot him in revenge. |
| 34 | * In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch, the [[AntiHero main]] [[VillainProtagonist character]], in his Zero guise, does this to [[spoiler: Euphemia, about her half-brother, Clovis.]] in episode 8. "He begged pathetically for his life with the same tongue that ordered the death of countless Elevens," but he was still her brother. Extra tragic considering that Lelouch is actually [[spoiler: also their half-brother, and Clovis and Euphie loved him more than any of their other siblings did.]] |
| 35 | * ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': |
| 36 | ** Arriving on the battlefield after his resurrection, Goku sees the dead bodies of his friends, but one is missing. Cue [[TheBrute Nappa]] gloating about how one fighter (Chaotzu) [[SuperPowerMeltdown blew himself up in a futile attempt to defeat him]]. This is the moment which inspires the "[[ReadingsAreOffTheScale Over Nine Thousand]]" {{meme|ticMutation}}. |
| 37 | ** After incapacitating Goku, Frieza lies to Gohan and claims that Goku died begging for mercy and crying like a baby. |
| 38 | ** ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'': During the Future Trunks Saga, Goku Black, [[spoiler:being an alternate version of Zamasu who used the Dragon Balls to pull off a GrandTheftMe on an alternate version of Goku, does this to the "main" Goku, revealing that after stealing the switching bodies with the alternate Goku, the very first thing Zamasu did was kill the other Goku, and then his family.]] |
| 39 | * ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': |
| 40 | ** Kimblee pulls this on Major Miles. Considering it's Kimblee, this may be less trying to antagonize Miles as it is a twisted way to try and connect with him. |
| 41 | *** And of course, Miles was only pretending to take it personally to keep Kimblee distracted. |
| 42 | ** Also used by Envy in the manga and ''Brotherhood'' to brag to Mustang about [[spoiler:how easy it was to kill Hughes by taking the form of his wife.]] Of course this [[BerserkButton backfires]]. [[KillItWithFire Literally]]. |
| 43 | * Gauron from ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'' loves to do this. He's shown doing this to a minor character, and does this in a more notable instance to Sousuke during ''TSR''. Towards the minor character, Gauron laughs and tells the guy that he's the last one, and that some of his comrades died crying and begging for their life. This pisses the guy off enough to send him into a berserk rage. Too bad he's just a small side character that ends up getting blown up. And in ''TSR'', Gauron volunteers a (fake) detailed description of how Kaname died to Sousuke. Including how her cute uniform was in tatters, but that she never begged for her life, and that her last words were "I'm sorry" to Sousuke. This pisses Sousuke off to the point where he [[spoiler: shoots the hell out of Gauron]]. Which was exactly what Gauron wanted, the ManipulativeBastard. |
| 44 | * ''Anime/GaReiZero'': Yomi gives the rundown of the named characters she's killed under the Sesshouseki to Kagura before their penultimate confrontation. Like how most of them begged for their lives. And how much she enjoyed it. |
| 45 | * A villain does this to Jubei in ''Anime/NinjaScroll: The Series''; he is lying and just trying to piss Jubei off to help him kill a parasite in him. |
| 46 | * All For One in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' attempts this on All Might of how he killed the latter's predecessor, Nana Shimura. All Might [[ShutUpHannibal would have none of that]]. |
| 47 | -->'''All For One''': Would you like to hear about it?\ |
| 48 | '''All Might''': ENOUGH!!! |
| 49 | * In ''Manga/OnePiece'', Diamante asks [[spoiler: Rebecca]] this before callously explaining how he killed her mother. |
| 50 | ** A variant is seen with a highly spoilerific character being told what [[spoiler: Ace's]] last request was as he was hauled off to be executed, in hopes of goading him into an impulsive attack. [[RageBreakingPoint It worked]]...[[GoneHorriblyRight unfortunately for the one doing the taunting.]] |
| 51 | [[/folder]] |
| 52 | |
| 53 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 54 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2011}}:'' ''[[ComicBook/TheNew52FuturesEnd Future's End]]'', Bane goaded an unnamed warlord's bodyguard into attacking him by describing how he killed his mother and wife and then made himself an espresso while their bodies cooled. |
| 55 | -->'''Barbara''': That...that story wasn't true, was it?\ |
| 56 | '''Bane''': Of course not. I ''despise'' espresso. |
| 57 | * In ''Franchise/TheFlash'', Wally pursued Bart Allen's EvilTwin Inertia after Inertia's scheme to steal Bart's Speed Force caused Bart's death. When Wally finally got his hands on Inertia, the little jerk spitefully and gleefully told Wally that Bart "died screaming like a little bitch". It doesn't end well for Inertia. |
| 58 | * In ''ComicBook/JokersLastLaugh'', while getting brutally beaten by ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, the Joker gives one of his best lines ever. |
| 59 | -->'''Joker:''' Oh geez. I hit Jason harder than that. His name was Jason, right? |
| 60 | * ''[[ComicBook/{{Robin}}'': In Vol 1, When Clyde Rawlins finally gets to confront Edmund Dorrance, who had killed his wife and children, Dorrance gleefully starts describing their deaths when he realizes who he is, then when Rawlins lunges at him, continues describing their deaths as he beats Rawlins to death. |
| 61 | * In the finale of ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'', [[spoiler:Kingdok]] graphically describes how he [[spoiler:murdered Thorn's mother and [[ImAHumanitarian feasted on her corpse]] afterwards]] to try and [[SuicideByCop provoke the heroes into killing him]]. How much of it is true isn't said, but either way it doesn't work; Thorn just ignores him and tries to keep moving, prompting him to attack her until she finally does cut him down. |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 65 | * In the ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'' story "Smurfed Behind: Smurfing In Heaven", Heftargan taunts Empath by telling him how his fellow Smurfs -- who at this point where traveling through time -- died at the hands of the Schliphargons. To throw more salt into the wound, Heftargan also adds a PostRapeTaunt where he tells how Smurfette enjoyed being ravished before she died. Polaris Psyche stays Empath's hand from killing Heftargan, sensing that Heftargan is using disinformation in order to undermine Empath's determination in finding a way to bring his time-lost fellow Smurfs back home. |
| 66 | * In ''Fanfic/ThePeaceNotPromised'', Voldemort implanted his own memories of killing Lily in Snape's mind. The really messed up part is that Voldemort intended it to be a "gift" for being a loyal servant. |
| 67 | [[/folder]] |
| 68 | |
| 69 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 70 | * ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Hans leaves Anna for dead in the castle after having her heart (accidentally) frozen by Elsa so that he can usurp the throne. He confronts Elsa fighting through a vicious storm, telling her how her sister froze to death because of her powers, leaving Elsa to [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone grieve]] as he prepares to strike her dead. Her life is only spared when a barely alive Anna [[HeroicSacrifice rushes in to shield her from his sword]], an act of love that saves them both. |
| 71 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' has Scar doing this during the final battle to Simba, who was blaming himself all movie for the death of his father. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Which is all the provocation Simba needs to turn the battle around and kick Scar's ass.]] |
| 72 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish''. The Serpent Sisters giddily want to tell Jack Horner how they'd done a lot of murder to steal the map to the Wishing Star, but Jack keeps shutting them up before they can elaborate. |
| 73 | [[/folder]] |
| 74 | |
| 75 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 76 | * A non-villain example occurs in ''Film/TheCrowSalvation'' when Alex Corvis gives his deceased girlfriend's sister a detailed account of how her sister was raped and murdered in order to convince her that he was WronglyAccused. |
| 77 | * ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'': |
| 78 | ** Falcone gives one to Batman in ''Film/BatmanBegins''. This earns him an especially choice headbutt from the Batman later on. Of course, in this case Falcone had nothing to do with the Waynes' deaths and Chill, the actual killer, was obviously just trying to sound tough to his mob-boss cellmate (by lying about their last moments). Not only is that not what happened; Bruce ''knows'' it wasn't because he was ''there''. |
| 79 | --->'''Carmine Falcone''' (to young Bruce Wayne): Yeah, you got spirit, kid. I'll give you that. More than your old man, anyway. In the joint, Chill told me, uh, told me about the night he killed your parents. He said your father begged for mercy. Begged. Like a dog. |
| 80 | ** The Joker does this to Detective Stephens in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' after his first approach fails (Stephens is enough of a veteran that he knows he can't teach a complete psycho a lesson in human decency), although he seemed to have been purposefully trying to provoke him to violence, seeing how he did shoot most of the cops he'd killed up to that point. |
| 81 | *** He's definitely provoking him, as the Joker wants to get Stephens close enough to use him as a HumanShield. |
| 82 | * ''Film/DiaryOfAHitman'' (1991). Forest Whitaker plays the eponymous hitman, who's hired to kill the ex-wife of the client, ''and'' her baby. The hitman isn't happy about this, so taunts the client with this trope when it's time to pick up his payment (as it happens, [[HitmanWithAHeart he hasn't killed either one]]). |
| 83 | * In a rare ''heroic'' case, in ''Film/DieHard'', John [=McClane=] shouts at Karl during their fight, "You should have heard your ''brother'' squeal -- when I broke his FUCKING NECK!!!" |
| 84 | * Heroic version in ''[[Literature/Eclipse2007 Eclipse]]'', when Edward taunts Victoria about how he tore James to pieces and burned his body, in order to enrage Victoria enough to break cover and attack him recklessly. |
| 85 | * A variation occurs in ''From the Hip'' (co-written by Creator/DavidEKelley). Robin "Stormy" Weathers is trying to goad his client, Douglas Benoit, into a confession for murder so he can get off the unwinnable case: |
| 86 | -->'''Benoit:''' [[DidYouActuallyBelieve Do you seriously think]] that you can prod me into a confession? Oh, you really are amusing.\ |
| 87 | '''Weathers:''' I'm sick of you, Benoit. I'm sick of seeing you prance around like some ridiculous peacock.\ |
| 88 | ({{Beat}} as the two engage in a [[DeathGlare staredown]])\ |
| 89 | '''Benoit:''' Have you any idea what it takes to kill a human being, Mr. Weathers? I don't mean one brute bashing another brute's skull out of primitive passion. I mean the kind of measured, dispassionate action that comes from absolute clarity of mind....transcends rational thought. The kind of action that springs from absolute necessity, unclouded by the restraints of conscience, mercy, pity. The kind of action that allows one to take a common, ordinary hammer and with clinical precision, split a skull so cleanly that the cranium cracks right through the medulla... allowing the claw of the hammer to be used to pry back the skull cleanly, exposing the brain, while the subject remains alive... even aware. Such a man is to be envied... revered... and much feared... never paralyzed by impotence of will. |
| 90 | * ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'': "They tell me your son squealed like a girl when they nailed him to the cross. [[PostRapeTaunt And your wife moaned like a whore when they ravaged her again...and again...and again.]]" |
| 91 | * ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'': Ronan [[ButForMeItWasTuesday does not even remember]] killing Drax's family, although he later claims he has since recalled and that their death rattle was pathetic. He's probably lying just to infuriate Drax. |
| 92 | * ''Film/TheHatefulEight'' had Warren's tale of [[spoiler: how he forced General Smithers' son to walk naked in the snow for hours, then perform oral sex on him before he died of exposure.]] Whether or not it's actually true [[spoiler: or just Warren trying to goad Smithers into picking up the gun he left next to him so he could kill Smithers and claim self-defense]] is anyone's guess. |
| 93 | * ''Film/Hercules2014'': [[spoiler:King Eurystheus]] graphically describes how Hercules' wife and children were murdered. |
| 94 | * In ''Film/{{Highlander}}'', the Kurgan gloats over killing Connor's mentor. "Ramirez was an elite snob who died on his knees..." he says, and then reveals a terrible secret that was kept from Connor for almost 450 years [[spoiler: that the Kurgan raped "Ramirez's woman" after he killed him . . . the woman was actually Connor's wife]] - it's ''that'' part that hits home. [[spoiler: The Kurgan then deduces (correctly) whose lover his victim was, and claims she never told Connor because the Kurgan was a better lover . . . the more likely reason was to prevent her husband getting himself killed in a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against an enemy who had killed an opponent with over 1000 years more sword-fighting experience than Connor.]] |
| 95 | * In ''Film/TheLastWitchHunter'', Belial taunts Kaulder over the phone about how he killed Miranda. |
| 96 | -->'''Belial''': She died badly, screaming. Alone. |
| 97 | * ''Film/LethalWeapon2'': Martin Riggs, the protagonist with a dead wife issue is about to be killed, and Peter van Horscht sits down to tell him a couple of things. |
| 98 | -->'''Peter:''' I'm the bloke who changed the course of your life, mate. When you was a narc back at Long Beach you were getting too close to us, so we put a contract out on you. I handled it myself. Ran your car right off the road, '''bam!''' But of course it wasn't you, was it? I pulled back this mop of blood-soaked hair to see this woman's face. Your wife, right? ''(pause)'' She didn't die right away. Took a bit of time. |
| 99 | * Another heroic version occurs in ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015''. Napoleon Solo has to get Victoria Vinciguerra to respond to his radio signal in order to zero in on her location, so he tells her that he killed her husband (true) and that he begged for mercy and gave her up (untrue). |
| 100 | * Just before the Sonya vs. Kano fight from ''Film/MortalKombatTheMovie'', Kano taunts her by brandishing his Raptor knife, and mentioning how he used it to [[GlasgowGrin put a big smile on Sonya's partner, "ear... to ear,"]] before murdering him. |
| 101 | * ''Film/ThePatriot2000'': Tavington immediately recognizes Martin when he visits the British camp under a white flag. He gloats about killing Martin's teenage son, which Martin actually did witness first-hand, but Tavington is simply doing so in an attempt to provoke a violent response from Martin. |
| 102 | * ''Film/ThePrincessBride''. The Man in Black tells Buttercup about the last moments of her love Westley ([[UnreliableExpositor there's more to it than that, however]]): |
| 103 | -->'''Man in Black:''' He died well, that should please you. No bribe attempts or blubbering. He simply said: "Please. Please, I need to live." It was the "please" that caught my memory. I asked him what was so important for him. "True love", he replied. And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are.\ |
| 104 | ''[...]''\ |
| 105 | '''Buttercup:''' You can die too, for all I care! ''[shoves him over the side of a hill]'' |
| 106 | * In ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'', Guy of Gisborne tries to goad Robin into a fight by talking about killing his father. "Your father died cursing your name and squealing like a stuck pig!" |
| 107 | * In ''Film/RushHour 2'', as Lee has Ricky Tan at gunpoint and Carter shows up, Ricky asks Lee if he would like to know how his father had died. [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim Carter tells Lee not to lose his temper]], but when Ricky insults Lee's father, [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Carter goes "Okay, now he's gone too far. Shoot his ass, Lee!"]]. |
| 108 | * Played with in ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', when Moriarty is the one who breaks the news to Holmes that [[spoiler:Irene Adler]] is dead. He presents Holmes with a bloodstained handkerchief and claims she died from a rare strain of tuberculosis, but Holmes reads between the lines and deduces that Moriarty had her poisoned. |
| 109 | ** Turned around in a way with Sherlock doing it to Moriarty. [[spoiler:While Moriarty targeted some ''one'' close to Holmes, there really wasn't such a person to Moriarty that Sherlock could exploit (Moriarty being a sociopath, and Holmes really isn't that kind of guy anyway). Moriarty ''does'', however, have a vast fortune from his covert war profiteering that Sherlock completely depleted in a brilliant sleight of hand, and Sherlock described in detail how he did it. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And then he scores]] [[SmartPeoplePlayChess a discovered checkmate]].]] |
| 110 | * In ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman'', Finn raped and murdered the Huntsman's wife. Finn admits that she fought well, but claims that she died cursing her husband for not being there to protect her. Right after he says this, the Huntsman [[KarmicDeath impales him on a tree stump.]] |
| 111 | * Frank Nitti tells Eliot Ness how he killed Jimmy Malone in ''Film/TheUntouchables1987''. It doesn't end well for Nitti. |
| 112 | * ''Film/{{Upgrade}}'' has a rare heroic example where Grey [[spoiler:mocks Fisk with the death of his brother in order to make Fisk emotional so he can have the upper hand in their evenly matched fight, something which Fisk had done earlier with bringing up Grey's murdered wife]]. |
| 113 | -->'''Grey''': [[spoiler:Wait, Fisk Brantner? Serk Brantner was your brother. How long did you have to carry that junkie on your back? Well, I solved your problem for you. Yeah, [[GlasgowGrin split him open]]. And it took forever, 'cause he wailed like a little baby. He was no soldier that day.]] |
| 114 | * ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit''. Early in the movie we learn that a Toon murdered Teddie, Eddie Valiant's brother. When the killer is revealed: |
| 115 | -->'''[[spoiler: Judge Doom]]:''' Remember me, Eddie?! When I killed your brother, I talked ''[falsetto]'' ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis JUST... LIKE... THIIIIIIIIS!!!]]'' |
| 116 | [[/folder]] |
| 117 | |
| 118 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 119 | * In Dean Koontz's version of the ''Frankenstein'' myth, at one point Victor Frankenstein tells one of his modern-day enemies, a female police officer, that he killed her parents personally and her father (also a cop) begged for mercy. She just shrugs and mentions that she's sure he begged for her mother's life, anyway, by this point her contempt for Victor is so total that he can't get to her at all. |
| 120 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter'': |
| 121 | ** When Harry confronts [[BigBad Voldemort]] for the first time in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', Voldemort starts by telling him "you'll meet the same end as your parents... they died begging me for mercy...." But when Harry doubts that version, Voldemort quickly agrees that Harry's parents did indeed fight courageously... and still goes on to describe how they died. |
| 122 | ** Which, ironically, ''did'' involve Lily begging for mercy before she died...mercy for him to spare Harry's life. |
| 123 | ** The [[EmotionEater Dementors]] do this to Harry sort-of-unintentionally: as they force people around them to repeat their worst memories, Harry hears his parents' final moments every time he gets near them. Worse, Harry is almost unwilling to let go of hearing them, as he's never heard their voices. |
| 124 | ** Voldemort does this again during the last battle in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' when he [[spoiler:thinks he's finally succeded in killing Harry, brings Harry's body back to Hogwarts, and then tells a false story to all of the fighters inside the castle about how Harry was killed while trying to escape the battle and save himself.]] Once again, no one actually believes him. |
| 125 | * In ''Literature/SardHarker'', Hirsch tries this on Don Miguel with respect to Don Miguel's fiancée, [[spoiler:as a show of bravado after being captured]], but is interrupted before he can go into detail. |
| 126 | * ''Literature/{{Shannara}}'': In ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara'', [[TheDragon Cree Bega]] puts Ahren Elessedil through this during the lead-up to their final KnifeFight, asking him if he'd like to know what happened to his crush, Ryer Ord Star, after she was handed over to Cree Bega and his henchmen. |
| 127 | -->''She took ssso long to die, little Elvesss. Ssso long it ssseemed that it would take forever...'' |
| 128 | * ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': During the duel between Oberyn Martell and Gregor Clegane, Martell tries to get Clegane to admit to the murder of Martell's sister and her children. Clegane finally admits it once he's got Martell trapped in a bear hug. |
| 129 | --> '''Clegane:''' Elia of Dorne. I killed her screaming whelp. Then I raped her. Then I smashed her fucking head in. Like this. '''*CRUNCH*''' |
| 130 | [[/folder]] |
| 131 | |
| 132 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 133 | * ''Series/BreakingBad''': |
| 134 | ** Earlier, Gus Fring also did this to Hector "Tio" Salamanca, telling him face to face that he [[spoiler: poisoned the whole Cartel (naming all the members who died) and Hector's grandson Joaquin was killed, finishing his speech introducing Jesse, who's Joaquin's killer and saying that the Salamanca name will die with Hector.]] The incapacitated Hector could do nothing but cry in anger. |
| 135 | ** Possibly Walter White's biggest and cruelest KickTheDog moment in the entire series. [[spoiler:After letting Jesse be taken to be tortured by the neo-nazis, still angry over Hank's death, Walter decides to stop Jesse just long enough to tell him that he saw his girlfriend, Jane, overdose and choke to death. He mentions that he could have saved her, but decided not to. Jesse]] is so broken by this revelation that he doesn't even try to fight back anymore. |
| 136 | * ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Heroes and heroines usually don't do this, but Buffy taunts [[BigBad The Mayor]] into chasing her by reminiscing about how she stabbed Faith a day or so ago. It works. |
| 137 | * ''Series/CriminalMinds'': |
| 138 | ** One team of unsubs tortured women to death and then sent [=DVDs=] to their families. |
| 139 | ** The Boston Reaper threatened to do this [[spoiler:to Jack: "I'm going to find that little bastard son of yours and show him your dead bodies and tell him it's all your fault."]] |
| 140 | * ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': |
| 141 | ** Dexter tells [[spoiler:Miguel Prado]] he killed [[spoiler:his brother]] before killing him. It's only because the latter is already strapped on a table awaiting to be murdered that Dexter decides to [[JustBetweenYouAndMe be honest with him]]. |
| 142 | ** Dexter himself, who is usually more careful and not prone to EvilGloating, plays this on Isaac Sirko when the latter confronts him in public, admitting that he hunted down his friend Viktor and crushed his skull. |
| 143 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday "Doomsday"]] has a rare case of a heroic character using this against a villain, when Rose Tyler taunts a Dalek by telling it how she killed the Dalek Emperor in the previous season. |
| 144 | -->'''Rose:''' If these are going to be my last words then you're going to listen. I met the Emperor. And I took the Time Vortex and poured it into his head and turned him into dust. Did you get that? The God of all Daleks... and I destroyed him. |
| 145 | * ''Series/GameOfThrones'': After Sandor Clegane's rather impressive battle with Brienne of Tarth in the Season 4 finale; he tries to pull this on Arya, so that she would give him a quick death, by commenting on what he did to her friend Mycah the butcher's boy and talking of how he should have raped Sansa. It doesn't work at all, and he is left screaming for Arya to come and kill him. |
| 146 | * In the Sky One production of ''Film/GoingPostal'', the psychopathic banshee assassin tells Moist while attacking him that one of his previous victims [[spoiler: the brother of Moist's love interest]] died pathetically. The guy's death is shown at the very beginning, and the banshee's claim isn't really true. |
| 147 | * In the ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' episode "Innocent Man", Sheriff Crowley does this to Duncan [=MacLeod=]: "Your friend died on his knees, begging for his life." |
| 148 | * In one episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'', a perpetrator taunts Elliot and Olivia by telling them the details of his latest murder, with the victim in question being a ''seven-year-old child''. He's actually lying -- she's still alive -- but the fact that he would even make the claim speaks to the kind of monster he is. |
| 149 | -->'''Gitano:''' I used her up and bled her dry. You wanna hear how she screamed? How she begged for her mommy? She was a slut, that one. A real little whore. |
| 150 | * On ''Series/{{Lost}}'', PsychoForHire Keamy gloats about [[spoiler: killing Ben's daughter]] and is promptly stabbed to death by him a few minutes later. |
| 151 | * Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: |
| 152 | ** ''Series/Daredevil2015'': [[IntrepidReporter Karen Page]] [[AloneWithThePsycho decides to pay a visit to]] [[ComicBook/TheKingpin Wilson Fisk]] in his [[LuxuryPrisonSuite "house arrest" penthouse]] and taunts him with the details of how she killed his right hand, [[OnlyFriend James Wesley]], in an effort to provoke him into trying to kill her, so he'll violate the terms of his house arrest and be sent back to prison. It fails, but it ''does'' prompt Fisk to order [[ComicBook/BullseyeMarvelComics Dex]] to kill her, and Dex ends up killing several innocent bystanders, including Father Lantom, in the course of his efforts to take Karen out. |
| 153 | --->'''Karen Page:''' OK. [[LetsGetDangerous You want secrets?]] I can tell you a secret, ''Wilson''. Is it okay if I call you that? I feel like we know each other well enough by now... \ |
| 154 | '''Wilson Fisk:''' As you wish, ''Karen''. \ |
| 155 | '''Karen Page:''' Great. James Wesley... What was it like for you when he disappeared? Really, it’s those first 24 hours that are the worst, aren’t they? When you call and you call and you call, and there’s just ''no'' answer. It becomes an obsession. The calling. The never-ending loop of a ghost’s voicemail in your ear. You worry. You wonder. You swear "Goddamn it, if he’s still living I’m gonna kill him myself." Is that what it was like for you? Did you rage at him? ‘Cause you thought he betrayed you? Because I wonder what would be worse for you? His duplicity or his death? ''[softly]'' He died quickly, if you were wondering. Didn’t suffer much. You see, Wilson, Matt Murdock isn’t the person you should be worried about. ''I'' killed Wesley. ''I shot him seven times... because the clip ran out! He deserved '''MORE!''''' |
| 156 | ** ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': Elektra Natchios needs Danny to use the Iron Fist to break down a wall, so she provokes him by taunting him about her slaughter of the monks in K'un-L'un. Of course, it's actually a bluff because as the Hand Fingers suggest, K'un-L'un is still very much intact. |
| 157 | * In the ''Series/TheMentalist'' Season 3 finale, Jane encounters a man he believes is Red John, the serial killer who murdered Jane's wife and daughter years earlier. However, he's initially less than entirely certain that the man is the real deal, so the man provides a few details -- not about ''how'' his family died (easily obtainable information that would actually prove very little), but how they ''smelled'' on the night they died, which is truly something only the killer would know. [[spoiler:Turns out to be a subversion in that the man in question wasn't Red John himself, he was a Red John associate who had presumably been fed these details so he could pass for the real thing.]] |
| 158 | * In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', Desaad taunts Oliver by saying how Chloe died screaming his name, provoking Oliver into pummeling him. [[spoiler:She is not dead, and [[TheCorrupter Oliver's reaction is]] [[BatmanGambit what Desaad is counting on.]]]] |
| 159 | * In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Azazel's purpose in ordering the killing of Sam's girlfriend Jessica was to drive Sam to TheDarkSide, and this works better if he admits to Sam that he was responsible, sooner or later. The demon who did the actual killing, Brady, also brags about having done so, and his motive appears to be significantly more about [[ForTheEvulz evil for its own sake]] than his master's. |
| 160 | * Kate from ''Series/TeenWolf'' uses this to draw Derek out by taunting him about his dead sister. |
| 161 | --> '''Kate:''' Too bad your sister bit it before she had her first litter. Too bad she howled like a bitch... when we cut her in half! |
| 162 | * Happens in the ''Series/Tracker2001'' pilot. Rhee gloats that Cole's daughter "went slowly", and Cole responds with "So will you" and proceeds to make the life force collection very slow. Apparently it's more painful when done slowly. |
| 163 | * ''Series/{{Witchblade}}'': Carl Dalack in "Nailed" gloats group of girls if they want to hear "The sounds my victims made in their final moments", only to make a weak attempt to backpedal by telling them that "I cannot tell you, because I wasn't there. I am an innocent man." |
| 164 | [[/folder]] |
| 165 | |
| 166 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 167 | * In ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'', Elias Bouchard, [[spoiler: aka Jonah Magnus]], threatens Melanie with this in an interesting variant. He uses his Beholding powers to let her know about the agony her father experienced when he died, leaving catatonic. He then says he'll force her to ''watch'' her father's death if she tries to kill him again. |
| 168 | [[/folder]] |
| 169 | |
| 170 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 171 | %%* In ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci1ayAKyBGs this]]. |
| 172 | * In ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', Swami [[spoiler:tells Altair that, right before Altair's son, Sef, was killed, Swami told Sef that it was on Altaïr's orders, so that he died thinking his father had betrayed him.]] |
| 173 | * In ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'', [[spoiler:Part of Cecilia’s pitch to Amanda and Mortelli is a variation of this. She says that the money intended for Lainie’s treatment was instead used to start the diner. However, Cecilia omits a couple of details that are key to giving context to the situation.]] |
| 174 | * Fuminori does this to Kouji in ''VisualNovel/SayaNoUta''. |
| 175 | * Seymour does this in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' when he describes how he slaughtered [[spoiler:the Ronso tribe.]] |
| 176 | * Curtis Blackburn does this to [[spoiler:his partner Pedro]] in one of the more infamous (and horrific scenes) in ''VideoGame/{{Killer 7}}''. "Your wife... has a mole in a very unique place..." |
| 177 | * In the Safe Ending of ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'', [[spoiler:Ace decides to tell Snake how great it was to kill his sister. This results in Snake, after taking six shots from Ace's gun, getting up and pinning Ace down inside an incinerator that's about to turn on, killing them both.]] |
| 178 | * There's a couple of rather nasty one for the Human Noble origin from Arl Rendon Howe in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': |
| 179 | ** One is delivered after the Human Noble argues against Howe's claim that the Cousland family is gone and forgotten. |
| 180 | --->'''Human Noble''': You won't forget. Their memory drove me to you.\ |
| 181 | '''Arl Rendon Howe''': Your parents died on their knees. Your brother's corpse rots in Ostagar; and his brat was burned on a scrap heap, along with his Antivan whore of a wife. And what's left? A fool husk of a son[=/=]daughter likely to end his[=/=]her days under a rock in the Deep Roads. |
| 182 | ** Howe gets another one if the Human Noble tries to threaten vengeance against Howe's own family before their fight. |
| 183 | --->'''Human Noble''': After this, [[AndYourLittleDogToo I'll kill your wife and son, too.]]\ |
| 184 | '''Arl Rendon Howe''': Isn't that precious? Is this where I lament the monster I helped create? You're still so very new to this. Shall I show you how it's done? I made your mother kiss my feet as she died. It was the last thing your father saw. Meet my sword and try to change ''that.'' |
| 185 | * ''VideoGame/JediKnightDarkForcesII'' has a defeated [[BloodKnight Maw]] taunt Kyle about his father's death at [[BigBad Jerec's]] hands when he doesn't [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred finish him in a duel]]. |
| 186 | -->You're weak like your father. I remember it. Jerec, he gave him a sweet slow death—a death worthy of a coward! I had the honor of ''taking his head and'' '''''[[DecapitationPresentation thrusting it on a SPIKE FOR ALL TO SEE!]]''''' |
| 187 | * In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' Cataclysm's Dragon Soul raid, Deathwing, when facing Alexstraza, taunts her about how he turned many members of her flight into mindless Twilight drakes, and how painful a process it was. She, with forced stoicism, says they are no longer of her clutch, and the raid has to kill them. |
| 188 | * One of Pigma's possible dialogue pieces while facing him and the rest of Star Wolf in ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' gives a slight bit of detail into his killing of Fox's dad. |
| 189 | -->'''Pigma:''' Daddy screamed real good before he died! |
| 190 | * In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', If Kai Leng [[spoiler:killed either Thane or Kirrahe during the Cerberus attack on the Citadel]], he'll make it a point to say that they died like cowards during his boss fight in Thessia. Of course, considering that those cases were {{Heroic Sacrifice}}s and Kai Leng [[DirtyCoward is not above throwing gunships and mooks at Shepard during their fights and running when things do not go his way]], it just makes him look like a {{Hypocrite}}, [[spoiler:[[ShutUpHannibal which Shepard calls him out on when s/he's fighting him for the last time completely shutting him up.]]]] |
| 191 | * A Dark Brotherhood quest in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' gives you the option to do this to a target, telling him that his mother "bled like a pig" when you killed her. This serves as a convenient way to get him to attack first so you can kill him without getting a bounty from the nearby guard. |
| 192 | * While exploring [[spoiler:Kellogg's memories]] in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', he's shown taking revenge on a gang for the [[spoiler:murder of his wife and infant daughter]]. The voice heard in the hallways only has a downplayed version of this trope to say: |
| 193 | -->'''Voice:''' How did you ''think'' this was going to end, [[spoiler:Kellogg]]? You really thought you could fuck with us and we wouldn't fuck with you? Just so you know - they died like dogs... and you ''weren't'' there to help them.\ |
| 194 | [[spoiler:''Younger!Kellogg'']]: <kicks door open> |
| 195 | * ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'': |
| 196 | ** Fable: The Lost Chapters added some extra dialogue during what was the final boss of the original, where [[spoiler:Jack of Blades]] taunts you about killing your father. |
| 197 | ** Banshees in ''VideoGame/FableII'' sometimes taunt your hero by saying something calculated to cause them as much sorrow as possible. Occasionally, this trope will come into play: |
| 198 | --->''"Did you know Rose didn't die right away from that shot? No, she watched you fall through that window, heard as your body thudded against the ground and cried bitter tears before a final shot from Lucien ended her life."''\ |
| 199 | ''"Your son/daughter is so sweet, like honey. Last night when I visited your home, he/she screamed your name as he/she died."'' |
| 200 | * Randall of ''VideoGame/{{The Walking Dead|Telltale}}: Michonne'' not only tells [[spoiler:Sam and her family how he killed their father]], but he even cruelly jokes and laughs about it to their face. |
| 201 | * ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has Fiddlesticks, [[ScaryScarecrows a scarecrow-like demon]] [[MadeOfEvil of pure malice and fear]] whose dialogue mostly consists of the terrified last words of its former prey. When it first encounters a character with a DarkAndTroubledPast, it cuts straight to the chase and shrieks out a terrifying mimicry of their loved ones' last words before they died. [[ParanoiaFuel Don't try to think too hard about how it actually knows about them]]. |
| 202 | * In ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'', Silver Horn gloats on how he tortured the original Steel Massimo to death by ripping his limbs apart. [[BerserkButton The second Massimo isn't taking any more of this crap and punches him]], instigating a boss battle. |
| 203 | * ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'': Sephiroth taunts Cloud about how he enjoyed slicing up Cloud's mother Claudia and says she died begging him to spare her son (and as confirmed in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRebirth'', him suddenly telling Cloud to run away and live was him actually reciting Claudia's final words), sending Cloud into a murderous rage. |
| 204 | * ''VideoGame/TwistedMetalBlack'': In Axel's ending, he is too wracked by guilt to take revenge on [[spoiler:Sweet Tooth]], his wife's killer. That's until [[spoiler:Sweet Tooth]] goads him by mentioning how his wife died screaming for him, giving Axel the rage to put a bullet in [[spoiler:the [[MonsterClown clown's]]]] skull. |
| 205 | [[/folder]] |
| 206 | |
| 207 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 208 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': |
| 209 | ** Vaarsuvius, [[spoiler:DrunkOnTheDarkSide as the result of a DealWithTheDevil]], does this to the Ancient Black Dragon (who's trying to get revenge for V's killing of her son) during their confrontation. |
| 210 | --->'''Ancient Black Dragon:''' Did you...did you really think a Disintegrate spell would kill me?\ |
| 211 | '''Vaarsuvius:''' It was the spell you requested, was it not? Besides, I wanted you to experience what it felt like for your baby when I '''shredded him into a trillion lifeless specks of ash.''' Incidentally, he mewled helplessly while I did so. |
| 212 | ** Nale boasts to [[spoiler:his father, Tarquin]] about how he killed the latters' best friend [[spoiler:Malack]]: |
| 213 | --->'''Nale:''' I killed [[spoiler:Malack]]. I made him scream for his god under the desert sun. His ashes smelt like burning leather. He '''suffered'''. |
| 214 | * ''Webcomic/{{Endstone}}'': As seen in the main picture above, The Mailman explains how (when he polymorphed into a dragon) he roasted and ate Gale's entire family. Bonus points for how Deermen like Gale's clan are considered little more than animals to the point that cannibalism on them is ''socially acceptable'' to the medieval community. Gale's not amused. |
| 215 | * ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan Oracle For Hire'': Jacob Deegan, an accomplished {{necromancer}}, takes great pleasure in pulling this on Dominic. We don't hear exactly what he did to the victim, but judging by the VomitDiscretionShot in the next panel it was pretty grim. |
| 216 | [[/folder]] |
| 217 | |
| 218 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 219 | * The soldiers in ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'' do this to Oran just before the fight. |
| 220 | * Taken to extremes with Dark General Argon in ''Literature/SailorNothing''. For additional measure, he takes the time to [[HannibalLecture deconstruct the heroes' motives in the process]]. [[spoiler:As it turns out, he is intentionally trying to make the hero as enraged as possible because it's the only way [[DeathSeeker she'll ever be able to kill him]].]] |
| 221 | * In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', [[SerialKiller Jack Slash]] ''loves'' to do this to the friends and family of his many and varied victims, though when Golem, [[spoiler:whose entire family he has killed or subjected to a FateWorseThanDeath]] corners him, he doesn't bother because Golem pulls a ShutUpHannibal, making it clear that he's not interested in talking. |
| 222 | [[/folder]] |
| 223 | |
| 224 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 225 | * A non-evil example happens in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow''. When Cleveland accidentally runs over the Tubbs' dog and is afraid of telling them, Tim advises him to confess and "don't leave out any details". He does...[[LiteralMinded by thoroughly and graphically describing how the dog died]]. |
| 226 | * In the "Fallen Angel" episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', the Purple Dragons have caught Casey, who clearly intends to be DefiantToTheEnd, screaming insults and threats even while locked up: |
| 227 | -->'''Hun:''' Heh, heh. Tough words, vigilante. I ever tell you how much ''fun'' I had burning down your father's store when I was a kid?\ |
| 228 | '''Casey:''' At least I ''had'' a father, ''punk''. |
| 229 | * ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''. In "Hereafter", Superman is stuck in a BadFuture with Vandal Savage, who took over the world only to accidentally destroy it in the process. Vandal has been the last man on Earth for 30,000 years and so has had [[WasItReallyWorthIt plenty of time to regret his actions]], so he's not engaging in EvilGloating. Yet the detached manner in which Savage describes killing Green Lantern and the rest of the League all those millennia ago is even more chilling. Superman, who only left his friends a few months back when he was transported to the future, is so infuriated he seriously contemplates killing Savage on the spot, though [[GoodThingYouCanHeal it would do no good]]. |
| 230 | [[/folder]] |
| 231 |
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