Line #12 PlayingWith/ArsonMurderAndLifesaving


1	'''Basic Trope''': A character is chewed out by a superior, but at the end they reveal that they did some good.
2	* '''Straight''': "Bob, you destroyed the public library and let three drug-smugglers go free, but thanks to you, the mayor's daughter is safe, so I guess I can't fire you."
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** "Bob, you obliterated three cities and allowed seven of the [=FBI=]'s 10 Most Wanted to escape, but the mayor's daughter is most likely alive, so here's your reward."
5	** "Bob, you just destroyed half of the universe and released a prison of crazy serial killers, [[RuleOfThree but the mayor's dog is safe, so I can't fire you.]]"
6	** "Bob, you committed arson on the White House, you murdered the mayor, but since you saved the mayor's wife from drowning, you're promoted to CEO!"
7	** "Bob, you have reduced the entirety of the multiverse excluding this one room to cinders, putting all living beings through excruciating pain in doing so, [[SkewedPriorities but my trading cards are all undamaged so congrats on your promotion!]]"
8	* '''Downplayed''':
9	** The mistakes Bob made actually were trivial compared to what good he did, but his superior still wants to warn him about those mistakes.
10	** Bob's recklessness up to and including blowing up the library gets him fired. Saving the mayor's daughter only means nobody will press criminal charges or sue.
11	** ArsonMurderAndJaywalking
12	* '''Justified''':
13	** The purpose of the mission was to save the mayor's daughter, so Bob technically did what he was required to do.
14	** "You risked many lives just to save one. I guess you showed us what it truly means to be an officer."
15	** The mayor's daughter is the key witness against the drug-smugglers, so there was no point in catching them but losing her as they would have had to be let go anyway. The library's destruction was not his idea.
16	** "I mean, [[CrapsackWorld in a place like this,]] [[DoWrongRight you could've done even worse.]]"
17	* '''Inverted''': "Bob, I'm glad you avoided collateral damage and caught the bad guys, but the mayor's daughter died in the chaos, so I'm going to need you to turn in your badge."
18	* '''Subverted''': "...Hang on, this report also says you wiped out a train station. Sorry, but that's just too much property damage for me to allow. Hand in your badge."
19	* '''Double Subverted''': "Wait! You missed the nearby pet shop, thus sparing the lives of all the cute animals inside. You're getting promoted!"
20	* '''Parodied''':
21	** "Bob, you leveled the city, killed thousands of people, endangered many others, destroyed seven national landmarks, broke the President's arm, and got me a doughnut. I think someone's up for a promotion!"
22	** "Bob, although you drove all cute animals into near-extinction and made babies cry, you managed to bring back cute animals and make the best toys for babies. [[DisproportionateReward That means big rewards for you.]]"
23	* '''Zig-Zagged''': [[MindScrew Arson, Murder, Livesaving, Murder, Lifesaving, Murder, Jaywalking, Arson, Murder, Arson, Lifesaving...]] [[OverlyLongGag and the list continues on.]]
24	* '''Averted''':
25	** No collateral damage was caused.
26	** Or the mission went perfectly.
27	* '''Enforced''': [[ExecutiveMeddling The executives]] want to keep this CashCowFranchise going, so they prevent the creators from firing the hero.
28	* '''Lampshaded''':
29	** "Phew! For a second there, I really thought you were going to fire me!"
30	** Bob's rival, Carl, who would have Bob's promotion otherwise, looks on the conversation:
31	--->'''Carl:''' That Bob sure is gonna get it.\
32	'''The Chief:''' ...But you saved the President's daughter, so I'm going to promote you.\
33	'''Carl:''' [[BigWhat WHAT?!]]
34	* '''Invoked''': Bob is about to be fired, but brings up the point that he saved the mayor's daughter. The chief concedes Bob's argument and allows him to keep his job.
35	* '''Exploited''': Bob knows that, as long as he does some good, he won't get in trouble, so he does whatever he feels like.
36	* '''Defied''': The superior's superior intervenes: "Listen, I don't give a damn that he saved the mayor's daughter! He destroyed a building and he didn't catch his man! He's fired!"
37	* '''Discussed''': "What do you think I'm going to do, promoting you because you did one good thing among the other evil things like in these comedy movies?"
38	* '''Conversed''': "Oh dear, are they going to jail Bob?" "As if you don't know, if TheHero saves the princess, no one cares how many villages were burnt in the process."
39	* '''Deconstructed''': See Defied.
40	* '''Reconstructed''': Bob's superior replies "Believe me, sir, [[ButForMeItWasTuesday I've had all sorts of opportunities to fire him for years,]] [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight but what usually works is that when we give him one more chance to catch the guy,]] [[MyGreatestSecondChance he'll actually pull it off.]]"
41	* '''Played for Laughs''': Bob's superior lets him keep his job, not in spite of the collateral damage, but ''because'' the building Bob destroyed belonged to his superior's ex.
42	* '''Played for Drama''': Bob is afraid and depressed as he walks into the office, knowing that a large amount of building damage he caused could be grounds for firing him. The boss chews him out loudly in front of everyone... and then launches into a speech about how what he did outweighs all the damage he caused, and he's not fired. Aside from his usual competence, [[CruelMercy the boss wants him to know that this job isn't always easy, and he'll just have to live with his mistakes.]]
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45	Alright, troper, you ruined an examples page and allowed misspelling on a Useful Notes page. But the ArsonMurderAndLifesaving page is still intact, so I guess you're alright.
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47	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
48	%%* '''Implied''': ???

Context PlayingWith / ArsonMurderAndLifesaving