Implied Death Threat / Live-Action TV

Implied Death Threats in Live-Action TV series.

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• American Gothic (1995). Sheriff Buck's girlfriend falls victim to a mysterious illness and is being treated by the local doctor, one of the few people not intimidated by him.
  Buck: You better cure her or I'll...
  Doctor: Or you'll what?
  Buck: (menacing) I'll think of something.
• The Barrier:
  • After a large group of people who were getting smuggled out of Madrid with the resistance's help, Jorge, one of the La Résistance leaders, storms into Emilia's store while Álex is running it and prepares to kill him due to suspecting him to have told the authorities about it. Emilia responds to this by pointing a gun towards Jorge and telling him that in her store, people only pay for what they purchase, implying that she'll kill Jorge if he kills Álex.
  • Hugo, while being held at gunpoint by Alejo, asks his for help with curing Manuela from noravirus. Alejo replies that Manuela is going to die soon, and that she may not be the only one.
• Blake's 7:
  • In "Gambit", Supreme Commander Servalan is pressuring crime boss Krantor to help her find a fugitive.
    Krantor: My dear Commander, there are many wanted men here. They come to Freedom City because we are outside the Federation.
    Servalan: Not very far outside.
    Krantor: I do hope that is not as threatening as it sounds. That would be... most unwise.
  • In "City at the Edge of the World", a criminal tells Villa that he should live every hour as if it was his last. He then sets Villa to the task of breaking through a sealed door, and says he'll be coming back later to check on his progress. In one hour.
  • From that same episode:
    Avon: Do you want me to threaten you?
    Tarrant: Why not? I haven't had a good laugh in ages.
    Avon: Sensible. You could die laughing.
  • And this one from "Games":
    Belkov: They found my survival most miraculous.
    Servalan: Your survival is becoming more miraculous by the moment.
• In Breaking Bad, Walt gives one to Hank after the latter discovers he's Heisenberg. Hank states that he doesn't even know who he's talking to anymore.
  Walt: If that's true... if you really don't know who I am... then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly...
• The Book of Boba Fett. Boba is holding a meeting of the crime bosses of Mos Espa, because he wants to propose an alliance. When one of them rather brashly asks Boba why they shouldn't just kill him and take his territory, Boba's new rancor roars and pounds on the ceiling of his pit while his claws pop out of the grate in the floor, revealing that the dining table is right over the rancor pit. Boba then feeds it some of his table scraps and quips "I think he's a little hungry."
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
  • In "The Harsh Light of Day", the vampire Spike runs into Buffy and her new boyfriend at a party. "I like him. He's got...what's the word? Vulnerability."
  • Spike is on the receiving end in "Superstar".
    Jonathan: Spike, you're the worst type of scum. The second you're back to your old tricks, well, let's just say before you even sniff out your first victim you'll be pretty indistinguishable from, oh what should we say... (smirks) Instant soup mix?
  • And again from Dawn in "Beneath You":
    Dawn: Spike. You sleep, right? You. Vampires. You sleep.
    Spike: Yeah. What's your point, niblet?
    Dawn: Well, I can't take you in a fight or anything, even with a chip in your head, but you do sleep. If you hurt my sister at all... touch her... you're gonna wake up on fire.
  • In "Goodbye Iowa", Buffy is sweating an Initiative scientist. "Now, I don't generally like to kill humans, but I've learned it pays to be flexible in life."
• Doctor Who:
  • In "The Ribos Operation", the Doctor is chosen for a mission by the White Guardian and asks what will happen if he refuses to do it:
    Guardian: Nothing.
    The Doctor: Nothing? You mean nothing will happen to me?
    Guardian: Nothing at all. [beat] Ever.
  • In "The Caves of Androzani", Sharaz Jek makes it clear he doesn't appreciate the Doctor's constant snark.
    "Your sense of humor will be the death of you, Doctor. Probably quite soon."
• On Dollhouse, Matthew Harding keeps Adelle in line by telling her, "You wouldn't like the early retirement plan." She's seen enough - and frankly, done enough - that she knows exactly what he's talking about.
  • Albeit in hindsight he probably meant The Attic.
  • And Adelle shuts up a snarky Topher by pointing out that Mr Dominic is responsible for the "termination of unstable employees".
• Firefly.
  • After discovering that Jayne Cobb tries to sell him and his sister to the Alliance, Dr. Simon Tam pulls a masterful one on Jayne after he's injured during a mission. A direct threat would be met with violence or bravado, so he paralyses Jayne with a sedative and then says that he would never harm Jayne for betraying them, so long as Jayne is Simon's patient (which is when Jayne would be the most vulnerable). While this might be true, he knows that Jayne would never believe it. And just in case Jayne is too thickheaded to get the message, River then follows up with a more direct threat: "Also...I can kill you with my brain."
  • Mal issues a threat to Simon along these lines when he refuses to treat Kaylee, who was shot by Dobson, unless Mal helps get him and River off the planet they're on.
    Simon: What about us?
    Mal: Kaylee comes through, you and your sister get off at Whitefall.
    Simon: If she doesn't come through?
    Mal: Well, then you're gettin' off a mite sooner.
• In Friends, when Joey is trying to seduce a lady, and Gunther keeps laughing at him while disguising it as a cough:
  "Seriously, Gunther, you should see someone about that cold. If it gets much worse, you could die.
• Game of Thrones:
  • In season 1:
    Queen Cersei: You're just a soldier, aren't you? You take your orders and you carry on. I suppose it makes sense. Your older brother was trained to lead and you were trained to follow.
    Lord Eddard: I was also trained to kill my enemies, your Grace.
    Queen Cersei: As was I.
  • Cersei is on the receiving end in Season 5, when the Dornish send her a box containing the necklace of her daughter (currently residing in Dorne) hanging from the jaws of a stuffed viper. No note is attached.
  • Prince Doran demands that Ellaria Sand kneel and kiss his ring to demonstrate her loyalty, effectively crushing her short rebellion. However he warns that while he believes in second chances, he doesn't believe in third chances.
  • Varys and Littlefinger exchange subtle threats of incriminating evidence in "The Wolf and the Lion."
  • After Joffrey calls him a monster, Tyrion replies, "Monsters are dangerous, and right now kings are dying like flies."
  • The credo "A Lannister always pays his debts" is both a declaration that those who help the Lannisters will be repaid, and a warning that they will have vengeance on those who wrong them. Characters are well-aware that the saying goes both ways and it is occasionally used as one.
  • In "The Last of the Starks," Tyrion and Varys discuss Daenerys's deteriorating mental state after a series of setbacks, and Varys reaffirms that his loyalties don't lie with their Queen, but to the realm itself, and making sure that the best possible ruler is sitting on the Iron Throne. He doesn't say it outright, but he makes it very clear to Tyrion that he's only supporting Dany because she's the best option they have, and he will shift his loyalties to another candidate if it turns out that she's not fit to rule or a better option comes along. When Tyrion cautiously asks him, "Then what happens to her?" Varys gives him a look that says it all.
• In Halt and Catch Fire, after Joe MacMillan forces Cardiff Electric into the PC business by deliberately telling IBM that he and Gordon Clark had reversed engineered the IBM PC, company owner Nathan Cardiff tells Joe "in Texas, you put a man's livelihood on the line, and you don't follow through, there's not gonna be another new job 'cause ain't nobody gonna be able to find where you're buried."
• Interview with the Vampire (2022): In "Is My Very Nature That of a Devil", Louis de Pointe du Lac indirectly states to Alderman Fenwick that if the latter's wife and daughters were present, Louis would've killed them.
  Louis: (reads Fenwick's mind) You're thinking about your wife and your two daughters and how fortunate it is that they're away in your winter home. It is fortunate.
• In the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode "The Gang Buys a Boat", Dennis explains that he wants to take women out on a boat since they are less likely to refuse his sexual advances because of "the implication." When pressed about what he means by "the implication", Dennis elaborates that he means "the implication that things might go wrong for her if she refuses to sleep with me."
• Legion: In "Chapter 26", Charles Xavier is menaced twice with the message "You should never have come" by two of the Shadow King's personas. The first is uttered ominously by the Devil with the Yellow Eyes during a nightmare that Charles has shortly before his plane lands in Morocco. (This is quite insidious because Charles could potentially brush it off as just an awful dream, unaware that the Shadow King can haunt his subconscious.) The second is stated by Amahl Farouk while he recites a play, and that line is oddly the only one in English while the rest of the story is in Farsi, so the threat is aimed at the sole Englishman in the room (namely Charles, who can't decide if he's actually in grave peril or if it's merely part of the theatrics).
• In episode 46 of Mimpi Metropolitan, Bambang gets Juna to stop mocking him by saying that if someone from Wonosari is mad, Juna might be in a grave tomorrow morning.
• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
  • In season 1 between Queen Miriel and Galadriel:
    Queen Miriel: Our ancestors were not given anything. They paid for this isle with the blood of their kin.
    Halbrand: What the Elf means...
    Galadriel: Then if blood be the price of passage, I will pay it. But one way or another, I will depart.
    Queen Miriel: I welcome you to try.
• In Mystery Science Theater 3000, Pearl shows off pictures from her numerous honeymoons, along with sharing the gruesome fate of each of her husbands. Her ship is even called The Widowmaker. So when she says, "Sit down or I'll marry you," it's definitely one of these.
• NCIS:
  • In a Season 1 episode when Ari holds Ducky hostage in autopsy.
    Ducky: I look forward to weighing your liver.
  • Ducky does it again when Ari calls him, reveals that he has Gerald hostage, and asks for a "professional courtesy, from one doctor to another." Ducky's response?
    Ducky: Well, I'd be happy to give you a free autopsy.
  • On at least one occasion, Abby has had to warn people that she knows how to kill without leaving any forensic evidence.
• Odd Squad:
  • In "Reindeer Games", Oprah's response to Oscar exposing her juice bar to one of her agents is to rip a pillow in front of him with her bare hands in a fit of Tranquil Fury.
  • "Not So Splash" has another one with Oprah that is brought on by a simple innocuous question.
    Oprah: Something very odd has happened to my friend's pool. I need you to fix it so I can swim, or else I will get very grumpy.
    Otto: Was that you being not grumpy?
    (Oprah begins taking a pool noodle out from behind her)
    Otto: Ohh no.
    (Oprah rips the pool noodle in two)
    (Olive and Otto panic and immediately book it downstairs)
  • At the end of "Shapely University", Oprah and Olivia are dunked in pools of pickle juice by Omaha, Olena, Olympia and Otis, with a group of other agents looking on. Olivia in particular begins shaking her fists angrily at the agents while Oprah gives what sounds like an angry growl, and Otis quickly realizes that the Directors will most likely try to kill them in their fits of rage, deciding to book it along with the other agents.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi: Tired of his apprentice's obsessing over Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Part VI", Darth Sidious delivers one to Darth Vader after hearing the latter rant for several minutes about finding Obi-Wan.
  Darth Sidious: I wonder if your thoughts are clear on this, Lord Vader. Perhaps your feelings for your old Master have left you weakened. If your past cannot be overcome...
  Darth Vader: Kenobi means nothing. I serve only you, my Master.
• Person of Interest:
  • In "The Contingency", a member of the Government Conspiracy has been murdered, so another member decides to lay low for a bit.
    Denton: I might be hard to reach for a few days.
    Pennsylvania Two: Denton, we can always reach you.
  • The unseen Villain of the Week in "Last Call" coerces the Victim of the Week into doing his bidding.
    "Because I asked nicely. I can be more emphatic, but people tend to get hurt when that happens."
• Power Rangers: Dino Thunder: When the evil White Ranger clone confronts Trent for their final battle, he declares that, "After this, there will be only one White Ranger!" Trent coolly responds, "Hey, I got no problem with that."
• Rome:
  • A Running Gag with Marc Antony; the most notable occasion is when he's forcing Cicero to make him governor of Gaul.
    Cicero: Please go on, make your threats. I don't like to submit to mere implication.
    Antony: There is a question I've always wanted to ask you. Your old friend Crassus, when he was captured by the Parthians, is it true that they poured molten gold down his throat? Because that would really sting.
  • "I shall be a good politician. Even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else, for that matter."
  • And this one:
    Mark Antony: Caesar has many more legions than the Thirteenth.
    Scipio: On the far side of the Alps.
    Mark Antony: Winter does not last forever. Spring comes. Snows melt.
    Scipio: That's a threat!
    Mark Antony: I assure you it is no threat. Snows, always, melt.
  • Caesar and Antony are seeking to bribe a priest, offering money as a "gift" for his wife. The priest keeps bumping up the price, saying his wife has expensive tastes.
    Priest: She would dress her slaves in silk if I let her. She eats oysters for breakfast. Daily.
    Antony: (moving close) She should be most careful. People often choke on oysters.
  • Played for drama when Octavian is made consul and immediately shows his true colors by proposing a motion to have the assassins of Julius Caesar condemned as enemies of the State. When the senators object, Octavian's legionaries march right into the Senate.
    Octavian: My father died on this floor. Right there. Stabbed 27 times. Butchered by men he called his friends. Who will tell me that is not murder? Who will tell my Legions, who love Caesar as I do, that that is not murder?! [The soldiers draw their swords and the chamber falls deathly silent] Who will speak against the motion?
• Sharpe: After Sir Henry Simmerson tries to extort the Duke of Wellington using his connections—despite Wellington having already reprimanded Simmerson only moments before for his cowardice—Wellington responds that Simmerson can choose between "[hiding] in England or [being] a hero in Spain".
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: In "The Mind's Eye", Picard barely thwarts an assassination attempt against the Klingon governor Vagh by a brainwashed Geordi. When Data arrives and explains that there was a collaborator involved in arranging the attempt, Klingon ambassador Kell immediately attempts to weasel out of a search, saying "I will not submit to being searched by you or anyone else on this ship.". To which Vagh replies "I am forced to agree, Captain. We will take the ambassador with us and search him ourselves.", and he gestures to his guards to take Kell away.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Done as a Character Development moment for the normally cowardly Quark to Brunt of the Ferengi Commerce Authority, who up to then has been bullying Quark For the Evulz.
  Quark: Look I've broken the contract so do your job; take my assets, revoke my Ferengi business license, do whatever you have to do, then get out. And if you ever walk into my bar again...
  Brunt: (smirks) Yes?
  Quark: You won't walk out. (Brunt's smile vanishes)
• Star Trek: Enterprise. In "Precious Cargo", T'Pol and Archer have captured an alien space pirate and play Good Cop/Bad Cop. Archer claims that T'Pol is a ruthless "judicial administrator" sent by the Vulcans to enforce discipline. T'Pol then enters the room in formal robes and asks some sinister questions about the alien's height, weight and "post-mortem rituals", whereupon Archer tells the now-panicking alien that he might be able to get her to show "leniency" if he's seen to be co-operative.
• In the Victorious episode "Rex Dies", while Cat is going on about the catwalk:
  Jade: If someone was pushed off this catwalk and hit the ground really hard, do you think they'd live?
  Cat: Why are you asking that?
  Jade: No reason.
• One scene from The Wire features a Professional Killer doing this to his own wife. For the better part of 20 years, Roland "Wee-bey" Brice was a hitman for Avon Barksdale, who for a long time was the most ruthless gangster in Baltimore. After Wee-bey was finally caught and imprisoned, he finds out that his wife De'Londa is attempting to push their young son Namond into the world of the drug game, (despite the fact that he is totally unsuited to it) while at the same time a teacher who sees the boy's potential is offering to adopt Namond. Wee-bey is initially torn at the idea of giving up his son... until he learns that De'Londa kicked Namond out of the house and into the street in an attempt to toughen him up. Wee-bey explodes at her and lets her know what will happen if she attempts to interfere with the adoption in any way. Scene
  De'Londa: Oh no you not. You ain't gonna take my son away from me! Not for this-
  Wee-bey: [angrily sits up and gets in her face] Yo, remember who the fuck you talking to right here. Remember who I am. My word is still my word, in here, in Baltimore, and in any place you can think of calling home, it'll be my word that finds you. [sits back] Man come down here to say my son could be anything he damn please.
  De'Londa: Except a soldier.
  Wee-bey: [snorts] Yeah, well, look at me up in here. Who the fuck would want to be that if they could be anything else, De'Londa?
• Witchblade has a nonspecific but effective threat from Ian Nottingham:
  Gabriel: He could make my life very difficult!
  Nottingham "Difficult"? I can make you pray for difficult.

• Yellowjackets:
  • "Saints": Out in the wilderness, Travis and Natalie return empty-handed from a hunting excursion. The others do some friendly teasing, but Jackie accuses Natalie (and only Natalie) of being too busy having sex to find game
  Jackie: I guess we shouldn't be surprised. Nat's always down for a good time, right?
  Natalie: I can't magically conjure a deer, Jackie. But keep talking shit, I'll find something to shoot.
  • "Friends, Romans, Countrymen": In the present Misty is worried about a friend who has gone missing and goes to the motel where she'd been staying, thinking something may have happened to her. The motel clerk is extremely unhelpful, since he doesn't know what Misty is capable of.
  Clerk: Things happen to all of us.
  Misty: (giggling) And some of those things can be worse than others, depending on our choices, Larry Frankowski, 65 Union Street, apartment 2B. Remind me, Larry, is your Social Security number #138-00-2671 or is it... (scoffs) No. (laughs) I'm pretty sure that's it.

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