"Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. Understand?"
So Bob owes Alice big time. Maybe she saved his friend, or did something selfless for him, or risked her life for his, it doesn't matter. The thing is, Bob and Alice aren't friends. They might even be enemies. Where this trope comes in to play is when Bob inexplicably helps out Alice, usually followed by a "
Now we're even" from Bob. The key to this trope is that it's a one-shot deal; if Alice gets herself in trouble later it's her problem, not Bob's. Bob may even be the cause of her troubles.
Contrast
I Owe You My Life, a more long term, friendly, and annoying variation of this. Unrelated to
Work Off The Debt. Occasionally overlaps with
Because You Were Nice to Me, albeit rarely.
Examples:
Anime and Manga
- Yu-Gi-Oh!: Kaiba claims that Tea helping Mokuba escape from the Rare Hunters is the only reason he's helping Yugi find his friends. Then he uses it as his reason for saving Tea's life. Considering all the times he makes a point of explaining how he's only "helping" the gang out of selfish reasons, it's pretty easy to say it's only a shield for his Hidden Heart of Gold.
- In Arakawa Under The Bridge, the protagonist has always lived by this principle, paying all debts as quickly as possible, but he finds himself in a quandary when a crazy woman who lives under a bridge saves his life.
Comic Books
- ElfQuest: This is ostensibly Rayek's reason for helping Leetah to save Cutter's life after the disastrous battle with the snow trolls. In reality he probably did it out of compassion, though he'd never admit it.
Film
- Shang in Mulan spared the titular's character's life after she dishonored the Chinese army in return for her saving his life during the Mongol's attack.
Literature
Live-Action TV
- Shran on Star Trek: Enterprise, vis-a-vis Archer.
- In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q. In one of the early Q episodes Picard shelters Q after Q has been made mortal temporarily. Q hates that he owes Picard a favour and tries to get Picard to name a favour so he can resolve the obligation.
- Of course, Picard knows that Q is The Trickster and a Literal Genie and refuses to accept repayment. Q's response is to make up a need of Picard's and 'solve' it for him in an incredibly roundabout and dangerous way.
Western Animation
Other
- Entry 68 of the Evil Overlord List on This Very Wiki states — "I will spare someone who saved my life sometime in the past. This is only reasonable as it encourages others to do so. However, the offer is good one time only. If they want me to spare them again, they'd better save my life again."
