Line #2 PlayingWith/IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim


1	'''Basic Trope''': After fighting their way to the final villain, the hero lets the villain go to avoid any guilt that they could get of killing them.
2	* '''Straight''': After Keith, a [[TheDon crime ring boss]], killed several people, Officer Bob fights his way to Keith. When Bob has Keith at his mercy, he lets Keith go, after [[WideEyedIdealist Alice]], his girlfriend, begs Bob not to "sink to Keith's level".
3	* '''Exaggerated''': Keith is [[EvilOverlord a brutal dictator]] who has personally tortured, enslaved, and massacred millions of innocent people, including Bob, who is severely injured and disabled from Keith's tortures, [[EasilyForgiven and Bob lets him go after Keith merely says]] “[[BlatantLies I'm sorry, I can change.]]”
4	* '''Downplayed''':
5	** Bob chooses not to hit Keith after Keith hits him, [[IfYouTauntHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim feeling this would lower him to Keith's level]].
6	** HeWhoFightsMonsters
7	** Bob chooses not to kill Keith, but he [[CruelMercy would torture Keith without killing him.]]
8	** Officer Bob doesn’t kill Keith, but still arrests him for his crimes.
9	* '''Justified''':
10	** Keith was being [[DemonicPossession controlled by a dangerous entity]], [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt and if Keith is killed]], the entity will merely [[BodySurf possess Keith's killer]] [[KlingonPromotion instead]].
11	** Keith killed his victims as an act of revenge against his victims, who also killed as another act of revenge. If Bob were to kill Keith, the CycleOfRevenge would continue, and Bob would be yet another link in the bloody chain.
12	** Bob and Keith are [[MirrorCharacter similar in many ways]]; the only thing that really separates them is Bob's [[ThouShaltNotKill moral code]].
13	** Bob is actually committing a CruelMercy.
14	** If Bob kills Keith than he will have justice for the wrongs committed against him, but if he keeps Keith alive and hands him over to a war-crime tribunal than all of Keith's victims will have their justice.
15	** Bob was like Keith once, before [[HeelRealization realizing the error of his ways]] and [[TheAtoner reforming]]. Sparing Keith may not only ingratiates himself to the people who gave him a second chance, but it prevents him from relapsing into such thoughts and proving that he has changed for the better as a new and different man, unlike Keith, which means that he has the moral high ground to stand on.
16	** Or maybe Bob [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall is aware of the audience's perception of Keith and/or killing in general as an example of this trope]], and thus decides to spare Keith in order to maintain good publicity.
17	** Bob is StupidGood.
18	** Bob knows that, even if killing Keith would be ''morally'' justified, it wouldn't be ''legally'' justified. An AssholeVictim is still a murder victim, which means prison time.
19	* '''Inverted''':
20	** Alice urges Bob to KillHimAlready.
21	** ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer.
22	** Keith needs to do good things every once and while to keep up the [[VillainWithGoodPublicity good publicity]] for his EvilPlan to work. But he is worried or warned that he might [[BecomingTheMask become more like Bob]] and thus ultimately decides against it.
23	** Keith is infamous for putting his enemies [[FateWorseThanDeath in so much pain they would rather be dead]]. Bob considers doing such a thing to Keith, but Alice urges Bob to kill Keith quick and clean.
24	** Overlapping with ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer, Bob and Alice have run out of options: Keith is well and truly above the law, and any attempts at stopping his schemes non-violently have barely slowed him down at best or backfired at worst. They come to the conclusion if they keep putting their ThouShaltNotKill moral code above the lives of others when it's proven beyond a doubt that killing Keith is the only thing that could stop him, [[AccompliceByInaction the lives of those he goes on to take are on their heads as much as his]].
25	* '''Subverted''':
26	** 1. Alice begs Bob not to sink to Keith's level... By torturing ''and'' killing him.
27	** 2. Alice tells Bob not to kill him, even though he could never stoop as low as him. This guy has feelings and it would be bad, though not as bad as what he had done.
28	** 3. ''(smiling, holding several NoodleImplements)'' "Oh, I won't kill him. [[FateWorseThanDeath There are better things to do to him]]..."
29	** 4. Bob decides to MakeItLookLikeAnAccident after careful consideration of how to make it plausible. As a result, it can only be speculated that Bob had anything to do with it.
30	** 5. Alice begs Bob not to kill Keith to avoid sinking to his level. Mid-speech, Keith interrupts her speech to Bob by [[VirtueIsWeakness mocking her]] [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids idealistic stance]], to which she responds with "...Nevermind, go ahead and kill him."
31	** 6. Alice's speech was merely to distract Bob [[ItsPersonal so she could kill Keith herself]].
32	** 7. Keith tries to guilt Bob into not executing him, but Bob pulls the trigger with absolutely no hesitation [[KilledMidSentence before the bad guy could even finish his speech]], and Alice can only watch in stunned horror as her friend calmly wipes Keith's brains off his gun [[DissonantSerenity the same way he cleans his dishes]]. For Alice, this marks the moment Bob has crossed the MoralEventHorizon. But for Bob, his murder of Keith means ''[[TheUnfettered nothing]]'' to him.
33	** 8. Not wanting to kill an enemy in cold blood but unwilling to let Keith get away scot-free, Bob [[GiveMeASword tosses a spare weapon to him]] and demands he make a proper fight out of it, calling him out on hiding away and letting his mooks do all the fighting and dying for him.
34	** 9. Alice wants to give Keith a CruelMercy.
35	* '''Double Subverted''':
36	** 1. Alice corrects herself: Torturing ''or'' killing.
37	** 2. When he refuses to hurt him, she says that she is proud of him, and that she didn't want to frighten him, but that he would have gotten just as bad as him.
38	** 3. Bob thinks about it, realizing that inflicting inhumane ColdBloodedTorture on any sentient being, even [[AssholeVictim Keith]], is something that will haunt his conscience forever, deciding not to go through with it.
39	** 4. After pondering about the "indirect murder" plan for some time, Bob drops it, [[HonorBeforeReason deeming it dishonest and dishonorable]].
40	** 5. Bob [[WhatTheHellHero calls Alice out]] for making an idealistic speech only to back out the moment her {{Pride}} was harmed, and spares Keith out of spite.
41	** 6. However, after getting the chance to kill Keith, Alice also gives it up.
42	** 7. Bob explains to Alice that Keith was defeated a number of times before, then [[VillainsWantMercy talked the captors into sparing him]] and promised to change for better -- only to [[ILied drop his part of the deal]] [[FalselyReformedVillain when he was no longer at their mercy]]. Even if Keith was jailed, [[MightAsWellNotBeInPrisonAtAll he would run his criminal operations from prison]] and later got off the hook [[BailEqualsFreedom one way]] [[MiscarriageOfJustice or another]]. Therefore, Bob realized that Keith was BeyondRedemption. As for the blank expression while shooting Keith... well, Bob is quite [[TheStoic emotionally restrained]] anyway, but he had to strengthen himself into killing Keith and [[ItNeverGetsAnyEasier wouldn't consider that otherwise]]. To further hammer his point home, Bob calls the police to turn himself in. He'll face a trial and serve any sentence handed down faithfully to prove that he is not like Keith; if he commits a crime, he will undergo the proper punishment for it. Even if it's the death sentence.
43	* '''Parodied''':
44	** Alice begs Bob not to sink to Keith's level as the camera pans across [[WhatMeasureIsAMook the hundreds of soldiers Bob slaughtered to reach Keith]].
45	** "Well, shit. Can I at least break his legs? Or give him a good last kick on the butt?"
46	** A moment after Alice begs Bob not to sink to Keith's level, she found that Keith's attack also [[WatchThePaintJob leaves a scratch on her brand new car]]. And she tells Bob "[[ThisMeansWar Just kill him, NOW!]]"
47	** Bob kills Keith, and instantly morphs into an exact copy of Keith.
48	* '''Zig Zagged''':
49	-->'''Alice''': "Bob, don't kill him. Don't sink to his level! I don't think you can live with his blood on your hands!"\
50	'''Bob''': "Okay... hey! Wait a minute! I just butchered my way through 500 of his minions to get to him! [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope What's one more life to me now?]]\
51	'''Keith''': "Bob, forgive me! I know nothing I say or do could give you your dead sister back, but I am truly, truly sorry."\
52	'''Bob''': "OK!" (turns to leave)\
53	'''Keith''': "[[DidYouActuallyBelieve Fool... he really bought...]]" (OffhandBackhand) "Hurk... bleagh"\
54	'''Bob''': "Oopsie... [[DamnYouMuscleMemory Bloody reflexes]]." (smug look)
55	** Alice employed the "...Nevermind, go ahead and kill him" trick as reverse-psychology to get Bob to spare Keith, [[BatmanGambit as she knew Bob would not accept sparing him at first, and Keith was certainly going to mock her idealism]].
56	* '''Averted''': Bob shoots Keith without hesitating, as he has [[AntiHero unconventional]] [[GoodIsNotSoft ethics]] when it comes to dealing with bad guys.
57	* '''Enforced''':
58	** The show has a young audience, and the executives don't want to convey the Aesop that [[MurderIsTheBestSolution killing solves problems]].
59	** "[[CashCowFranchise Our series is extremely popular]] and we need to {{justif\|ied trope}}y [[StatusQuoIsGod the status quo of]] [[JokerImmunity surviving villains]]."
60	* '''Lampshaded''': "Are you really comparing me to Keith after what he's done?"
61	* '''Invoked''': "What will make you any better than me if you kill me? We're [[NotSoDifferentRemark not so different]], when you think about it."
62	* '''Exploited''': Keith realizes that no matter what he does, Bob won't lay a finger on him. He seizes the opportunity to perform evil while Bob is on duty, as to not be interrupted and to watch smugly Bob helplessly staring at him.
63	* '''Defied''':
64	** Bob gives [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech a speech as to why he is justified in killing Keith]] before doing so. Zach is impressed with Bob's justifiable decision.
65	** "I have to kill him, it's the only way to be sure he never does it again."
66	** [[AntiHero Zach]]: "If not killing Keith means [[KarmaHoudini him continuing his psychotic crime sprees,]] [[ShutUpKirk I sure as hell would rather not be a wide-eyed dumbass like you!]]"
67	** Bob lets Keith go away, [[DoWithHimAsYouWill only to have Keith's henchmen]] [[TheDogBitesBack kill their bad boss instead]].
68	** "But I ''do'' want to be like him... ''[[DeathSeeker Dead]]''." ''[cue triggered grenade]''
69	** "[[ShutUpHannibal I've heard this one too many times. So let me make it clear now.]] Like you, Keith, I ''am'' a killer. [[NotSoSimilar Unlike you]], I'm not a stark-mad [[LackOfEmpathy empathy-free]] maniac who [[TheSociopath only sees people as targets for killing]]. [[PreMortemOneLiner Now, goodbye.]]" ''[[BoomHeadshot [blam]]]''
70	** [[SarcasmMode "Ah yes, because executing an unrepentant genocidal maniac who intends to continue his reign of terror and bloodshed if left unchecked is totally equivalent to being the unrepentant genocidal maniac itself. Totally."]]
71	** “Really Keith? You’re ''really'' going to give me this speech on how killing you suddenly makes me just as bad as you? Oh come on now! So LetMeGetThisStraight ''You'' were responsible for thousands of deaths of innocent civilians, if not ''millions'' of them, ''You'' have [[CruelAndUnusualDeath gruesomely]] [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] a good number of civilians, ''You'' [[TheUnapologetic have made no attempt to repent for your reprehensible actions whatsoever]], ''You'' have committed so many [[MoralEventHorizon diabolically evil acts]] all [[ForTheEvulz for fun]], and now the moment ''I'' kill you for the greater good[[DramaticPause …]]makes ''me'' '''''[[SuddenlyShouting the bad guy here?!]]'''''”
72	* '''Discussed''':
73	** "If you have a chance to kill Keith, would it be right?"
74	** "Wait, you're going to fight your way to Keith and then just let him go?"
75	* '''Conversed''': "Eeeh, [[PetPeeveTrope I'm long since fed up]] with how one hero goes rantin' about "don't kill him or you gonna be like him" on the other hero. It's so annoying! If I were Bob, I'd just kill the bastard already!"
76	* '''Deconstructed''':
77	** Keith continues his reign of terror, and when Bob and Alice return home, instead of being welcomed as heroes, they are demonized, condemned, spat upon, called disgusting words, and later are tried and executed for dereliction of duty and extreme negligence.
78	** Bob let Keith go. Unfortunately, Keith was BeyondRedemption and the only way to prevent him from doing evil again was killing him. So he continues wreaking havoc upon the town & some people blame Bob because he didn't kill him when he had the chance even though he just wanted to avoid being evil in his own eyes. [[AntiHero Zach]] scoffs at Bob for [[GoodIsDumb proving that traditional heroes are stupid]], and Alice for her [[WideEyedIdealist beliefs]] [[VirtueIsWeakness holding Bob back.]] He goes on to kill Keith himself, earning the credit for finally ending the latter's reign of terror.
79	** Alice has a [[WideEyedIdealist very strict standard of how people are the best]] and is not informed or has even seen the crimes that Keith had committed. To her, [[AMillionIsAStatistic the lives that Keith had taken]] pale in comparison to Bob ridding the world of a criminal. It's only when he is spared and ends up killing someone close to Alice (or even Alice herself) does she realize that she had screwed up big time.
80	** TheBadGuyWins, and [[TheHeroDies Bob is]] KilledOffForReal by Keith, [[UngratefulBastard who has little to no mercy to everyone.]]
81	* '''Reconstructed''':
82	** Keith is moved by Bob's gesture of mercy and reforms. [[TheCynic Zach]] was not convinced, however. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere He leaves the town]], unwilling to stick around to see if Keith's HeelFaceTurn would stick.
83	** Keith is taken down by a KarmicDeath or BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork instead, leaving Bob's hands clean.
84	** Keith is simply taken to prison or an equivalent thereof where he spends the rest of his life, harmless to society, because it just so happens there are ''laws'' about this sort of thing. Killing a man in cold blood when you could instead deliver him to the proper authorities without unduly risking oneself is still considered murder, and if the authorities can be trusted to give Keith an appropriate sentence for his crimes, it's also completely unnecessary.
85	** After letting the success go to his head, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters Zach turns to a life of crime as bad as Keith's]]. When Bob faces Zach, Bob spares Zach [[CruelMercy and, in doing so, makes Zach have to live with proving Alice right after all]]. Even then, Zach [[MyGreatestSecondChance decides he wants to show them]] [[ExactWords that it doesn't mean he has to]] ''[[HeelFaceTurn stay]]'' [[TheAtoner as bad as Keith]].
86	** There are plenty of heroes who want to defeat Keith [[WeHaveReserves and their life]] [[AMillionIsAStatistic isn't that important,]] so [[StatusQuoIsGod the battle between them and Keith still endlessly continues.]]
87	* '''Played For Laughs''': Keith [[SuicideAsComedy offs himself]] during Alice's speech [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids simply to avoid]] [[GoodHurtsEvil hearing her idealism]].
88	* '''Played For Drama''':
89	** [[TheWoobie Bob]] most definitely does ''not'' want to spare Keith [[ItsPersonal after seeing the horrors the latter did to him]], but [[NoSympathy Alice]] still outright [[ButThouMust forces]] him to let Keith [[KarmaHoudini escape alive]] against Bob's will. The audience is shown the [[DespairEventHorizon deep negative effect]] this has on Bob.
90	** After being defeated, Keith seemingly appears to [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone deeply regret his actions]], but he has already long crossed the MoralEventHorizon for many and his actions are [[ThisIsUnforgivable unforgivable]] for many. [[TheKirk Bob]] knows this, and does not know what to do. [[WideEyedIdealist Alice]] tells him that everyone should be given a chance to redeem themselves and says they should spare Keith. [[SeenItAll Zach]] says he's seen many other bad guys pretend they deeply regret what they did [[ISurrenderSuckers only to stab forgiving heroes in the back]] and return to their usual lives of crime, and even if Keith ''was'' some exception - which Zach heavily doubts - his actions are irreversible and too great to ignore, to which he tells Bob he should end Keith's miserable life. Amidst the two conflicting stances, Bob is pressured and helpless on what to do.
91	----
92	If you kill the [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim main page]], you’ll be just like it!
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94	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
95	%%
96	%%* '''Implied''': ???

Context PlayingWith / IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim