History Main / StopOrIShootMyself

* 'VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'': The level "The Sins of the Father" concerns the protagonists tracking down the [[TheDragon son of]] the BigBad, and they manage to corner him on the roof of a building, shouting at him to drop his weapon and come quietly. If you wait around long enough, or move forward to restrain him as Captain Price tells you, he simply [[AteHisGun puts his weapon up to his chin and blow his brains out]] (telling you [[BilingualBonus in unsubtitled Russian]] that "you will all die soon anyway" if you wait around).

* In ''Rimembeo'', the protagonist threatens to shoot himself when his young assistant realizes they are on a killing spree and wants to quit. For without Pil-Joo
to testify, the police would unquestionably assume the young man was the perp rather than the dying octogenarian on a decades-old revenge mission.

* In early ''Manga/OnePiece'', Kaya threatens to cut her own throat with a chakram if [[TheDragon Jango]] doesn't spare the children he's currently pummeling. Since he needs her alive long enough to write a will naming [[EvilGenius Captain Kuro]] as her sole inheritor, it works.

* ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'': In the Season 2 finale, [[spoiler:Tommy]] threatens to kill [[spoiler:him]]self after [[spoiler:he takes Dream's first canon life in the attachments vault]], to threaten [[spoiler:Dream]] into coming back to lose [[spoiler:his]] other canon lives. [[spoiler:Dream complies, because he ''is'' a StalkerWithoutACrush to Tommy and pretty much considers him his ''sole'' attachment.]] However, this is a harsher example than normal because [[spoiler:Tommy ''had'' previously attempted suicide several times]] earlier in the season.

* In Chris Hiemerdinger's ''Feathered Serpent'', part 2, Melody threatens to kill herself if King Jacob kills a few of his men (who made a mess up), and seeing as he needs her alive to convince her uncle to help him, he agrees. Granted, she doesn't have a gun, she uses a knife.

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'': The villains need Pyra alive since she's the Aegis, the most powerful Blade. So when Malos is about to kill Rex, she threatens to destroy herself with Siren's targeting laser.[[note]]She couldn't use Siren's actual KillSat weapon as Jin's control over elementary particles and ability to move at light speed would have enabled him to NoSell it. If focused, the targeting laser would be just as capable of incinerating single targets, even Blades such as the Aegis, while sidestepping Jin's means of countering.[[/note]] Malos accepts this and takes Pyra without further trickery. Later, Malos' ally Mikhail asks why he fell for such an obvious bluff--Rex has half of Pyra's core crystal keeping him alive, so if she dies then he does too. Malos explains that unlike a normal Blade, the Aegis can operate without her core crystal for a few minutes. She would have transferred the rest of her crystal to Rex, healing him, and had more than enough time to kill herself. [[spoiler:This becomes a plot point later when she tricks everyone else into escaping so she can perform a HeroicSacrifice. She transfers her core to Rex before running off. Luckily, the Architect's blessing lets her revive from the core after]].

--->'''Genie:''' Do not attempt to move, or we'll be shooting ourselves!

* In ''Manhua/SchoolShock'', the Hao Xuan pulls this off with a mecha to help Liu Li escape.

* ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'': In the Season 2 finale, [[spoiler:Tommy]] threatens to kill [[spoiler:him]]self after [[spoiler:he takes Dream's first canon life in the attachments vault]], to threaten [[spoiler:Dream]] into coming back to lose [[spoiler:his]] other canon lives. [[spoiler:Dream complies, because he ''is'' a StalkerWithoutACrush to Tommy and pretty much considers him his ''sole'' attachment.]] However, this is a harsher example than normal because [[spoiler:Tommy ''had'' previously attempted suicide several times]] earlier in the season.

* In Chris Hiemerdinger's ''Feathered Serpent'', part 2, Melody threatens to kill herself if King Jacob kills a few of his men (who made a mess up) seeing as he needs her alive to convince her uncle to help him, he agrees. Granted, she doesn't have a gun, she uses a knife.

* Sickeningly well-played by [[spoiler:America]] in the lengthy, disturbing ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''Fanfic/SevenLittleKillers''.

* ''Literature/TheFarawayPaladin'': In a {{flashback}} to the Three Heroes' campaign against the demons' High King, Blood tells Mary that she's staying behind when they go to fight him, because he's in love with her and doesn't want to risk losing her in battle. Mary replies that if he leaves her behind, she'll kill herself. Blood drops that subject and asks her to marry him once the war is over.
* ''Literature/TheLittleHouse'' sees an example that overlaps with ScarpiaUltimatum -- the Marquis Trémicour threatens to kill himself if Mélite refuses his advances.
* Severin attempts this maneuver in ''Literature/VenusInFurs'' when his dominatrix Wanda begins to take an interest in GorgeousGreek Alexis Papadopolis. Fearing he will lose his mistress' attention, Severin goes to her chambers and desperately pleads for her not to dismiss him. Wanda continues to treat him as a plaything (exactly as he had requested) and is entirely unimpressed when he takes her dagger and threatens to kill himself if she doesn't return his affections:
-->"Mercy," I implored. "Do not drive me away. No man, no one, will love you as I do."\\
"Let me go to sleep,"—she turned her back to me again.\\
I leaped up, and snatched the poinard, which hung beside her bed, from its sheath, and placed its point against my breast.\\
"I shall kill myself here before your eyes," I murmured dully.\\
"Do what you please," Wanda replied with complete indifference. "But let me go to sleep." She yawned aloud. "I am very sleepy."
* ''Literature/TheDarkForest'': Luo Ji manages to scare Trisolaris into calling off their invasion by threatening to kill himself, which would trigger [[spoiler:a dead man's switch and send out an improvised dark forest broadcast targeting Trisolaris.]]
* In ''Literature/DateALive'', Shido threatens to commit suicide if Kurumi won't release her hostages. She thinks he's bluffing until he throws himself off the school roof. Kurumi immediately rescues Shido, proving that he has value as a hostage. [[spoiler:She needs a lot of power to pull off her plans, and Shido is full of it after he absorbed the powers of other Spirits]]. He promptly threatens to commit suicide again by [[TongueSuicide biting his own tongue]]. Of course, [[spoiler:Shidou knew he could survive those, since he's manifesting regenerative powers (which is later revealed to be Kotori's), but Kurumi doesn't know that]].

* ''Series/TheLegendOfXiaoChuo'': Hu Nian holds a knife at her own throat and threatens to kill herself unless De Rang lets Yansage go.
* ''Series/NirvanaInFire'': Liyang orders Xie Yu to let Prince Yu's guards into the mansion, and holds a knife at her own throat until he obeys.

* An old ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' skit spoofing ''Film/LethalWeapon'' had Creator/MelGibson stick a gun in his own mouth whenever one of his requests was denied. It even worked over the radio.

* In ''Series/BurnNotice'', Michael does this in the first season finale. The Organization is trying to take him in but he needs time to save Sam's life so, knowing they need him alive, Michael puts a gun to his head and tells them to back off. It works. It's one of the few times the trope isn't played for humor; it's actually plausible.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', Season 3 episode "Sateda": Ronon Dex is captured, along with Teyla and Sheppard, by villagers he previously met during his Runner days. They're planning to deliver him to the Wraith in exchange for their village to be spared. The elder refuses to free them even when Ronon put a knife under the throat of one of his jailers -- so Ronon threatens to ''slit his own throat'' if they don't let Sheppard and Teyla go. The villagers are forced to yield since the Wraith were already summoned forth -- and they wouldn't be very pleased to find Ronon dead, as they want him alive for [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame an ultimate hunt]].

** Also done in the pilot episode. Darien points a shotgun at his head and threatens to fire if the bad guys don't back off. Since what they're after is the invisibility gland in his brain, they do so. (Bonus points as Darien knows where in his head the gland is located and positions the shotgun for maximum damage)
* In the episode "7 Men Out" of ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'', Granger was getting ready to get one guy when the guy put a gun to his own head. Granger ordered him to drop the gun and the guy did. He tossed the gun at Granger and ran for it.
* ''Series/RedDwarf'' "Body Swap": after Rimmer [[GrandTheftMe steals Lister's body]] and runs off in Starbug, he holds a gun to his head and warns them not to follow "or the body gets it!".
* In ''Series/BlueBloods'', done in the Season 1 finale by a dirty cop, when confronted by ESU and the Police Commissioner. The Commissioner's response? "We all have to die sooner or later."
** A variant appears in one episode where a criminal fleeing from Danny Reagen deliberately jumps out of a window and then accuses Danny of having pushed him out through it, in hopes of using the resultant police brutality scandal to not only get off from the crime he committed, but a sizable payoff.

* In the [[Recap/BlackMirrorFifteenMillionMerits second episode]] of ''Series/BlackMirror'', [[spoiler:Bing threatens to cut his own throat on live television to prevent anyone from interrupting his speech.]]
* In ''Series/TheSecretCircle'' the ghosts of [[spoiler:a coven of witches]] possess [[spoiler:Adam]] and threaten to kill the "shell" unless they're given [[spoiler:Blackwell's amulet.]]
* In the final episode of ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'', [[spoiler:Jack and Rex (the latter having had a full body transfusion of Jack's blood), pull this on the Three Families and their {{Mooks}} when in the Blessing -- the Families can't shoot them, because if they do, their (well, Jack's) blood will be absorbed by the Blessing and undo the Miracle, restoring death to the world. The Family members present try to create a SadisticChoice to stop them, but they go through with it anyway.]]
* In the pilot episode of ''Series/{{Cracked|2013}}'' Detective Aiden Black puts a gun to his own head in order to get the attention of a schizophrenic SerialKiller who was now trying to kill himself. By [[NotSoDifferentRemark drawing attention to the fact that they were similar]] (Aiden suffers from PTSD after a fatal shooting) Aiden is able to convince the killer to put down his knife and seek help.
* On ''Series/BreakingBad'', Walt and Jesse tell Gus that, if he kills one of them, the other will force Gus to kill him as well, as [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou he needs at least one of them alive]].
* On ''Series/PersonOfInterest'', Shaw's prepared to kill herself to avoid hurting Root when Root tells her if she actually does it, she'll kill herself too, turning the situation into an impromptu SuicidePact until Shaw stands down. [[spoiler:Which, despite running 7,000 simulations of this situation, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood is something that Samaritan oddly never considered]].]]
* In the ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}'' episode "Mr. and Mrs. Mxyzptlk", Mxyzptlk tries to force Supergirl to marry him. To stop him, she sets the Fortress of Solitude to self-destruct, pointing out it would be enough to kill her. Since he's not allowed to use his powers to stop someone from killing themselves, he panics and begs her to shut it off. She gives him the deactivation code and he enters it. Since it was in Kryptonian script, he found out too late that it was "KLTPZYXM", his name backwards, banishing him back to the Fifth Dimension.

* ''Series/TheManInTheHighCastle'': When the Nazis apprehend [[spoiler:Hawthorne Abendsen]], he threatens to shoot himself since he knows that they need him alive for their plans. However, John Smith is already holding his wife hostage, so he's ultimately forced to back down.

* ''Series/AlteredCarbon''. On being ordered by Reileen to ShootYourMate, Takeshi Kovacs puts the gun to his own head, knowing his life is the only one she values. Turns out ItWorksBetterWithBullets.
* ''Series/IntoTheBadlands'': In the season 2 finale, MK is being sheltered/imprisoned by [[spoiler:The Widow, who is trying to persuade/force him to get his gift back so she can use it as a weapon.]] MK doesn't want to do this, so he holds pruning shears up to his neck to [[spoiler:force the Widow to let him talk to Bajie.]]
* In the 6th season finale of ''Series/{{The 100}}'', Clarke pulls this as part of an IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight to save her daughter Madi. [[spoiler:Madi ultimately takes back control and they both survive, though Sheidheda, who had possessed Madi, manages to escape.]][[/folder]]

* In the third act of ''Theatre/TheGirlOfTheGoldenWest'', Minnie stops Johnson's hanging by riding in on a horse and pointing her pistol at both him and herself. (This happens in the opera, but not in the original play.)

* Played for drama in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''. The Colonist's background mission, "I Remember Me", has Shepard trying to talk down the only other survivor of Mindoir, a deranged, suicidal girl who'd escaped from the same batarian slavers that killed Shepard's family.
* Also in ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare''. The level "The Sins of the Father" concerns the protagonists tracking down the [[TheDragon son of]] the BigBad, and they manage to corner him on the roof of a building, shouting at him to drop his weapon and come quietly. If you wait around long enough, or move forward to restrain him as Captain Price tells you, he simply [[AteHisGun puts his weapon up to his chin and blow his brains out]] (telling you [[BilingualBonus in unsubtitled Russian]] that "you will all die soon anyway" if you wait around).
* In ''VideoGame/{{Counterside}}'', at the end of the "Frozen Corridors" storyline, [[spoiler:Regina [=MacCready=] pulls this on Edel Meitner, a nigh-invulnerable HumanoidAbomination, by threatening to [[AnIcePerson freeze and shatter her own brain]] unless Edel submits to her. Since Regina is the only person Edel has ever cared about on a personal level, it works.]]
* Just like in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', Will threatens to kill himself in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' unless Barbossa lets Elizabeth (plus Sora, Donald, and Goofy) go free. [[spoiler:[[NotHisSled Unlike in the film]], this backfires [[TeamRocketWins thanks to Pete's presence]], and everyone else is left [[BoundAndGagged tied up]] on the ''Interceptor'']].

* Done to retrieve SCP-105 in [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/incident-zero-part-1 this]] ''Website/SCPFoundation'' tale. For context, 105 a.k.a. Iris Thompson can use photos to manipulate whatever object or location the photo is of, literally reaching into the picture to change reality. When she tried to escape and claimed to have lost her abilities, a Foundation agent gave her a photo of the inside mechanics of his gun and shot himself. She deactivated the gun before he fired.
* In ''WebAnimation/HunterTheParenting'', [[spoiler:Officer Guy Chapman]], a man addicted to vampire blood (a "ghoul" as the setting describes them, servants to vampires in exchange for the blood), admits he is willing to go to any lengths to get his fix, to the point where he will take suicidal action to get it from the vampire Big-D has locked in his house. And [[spoiler:since Chapman is a cop]], his death would not go unnoticed, giving him real leverage in the situation.

* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole:'' Percy puts a gun to his own head while arguing with [[spoiler:Orthax, the [[DemonicPossession demon possessing him]], for renegotiation of the [[DealWithTheDevil deal]] they made]]. It gives him a little leverage, as his death would mean [[spoiler:Orthax would no longer have a host]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'':
** In the short "The Missing Mouse", Tom hears news of an escaped white lab mouse who has swallowed a powerful explosive. Jerry, who has been painted white when shoe polish falls on him, pretends to be the mouse, trying to hurt himself and forcing Tom to stop him. Eventually, Tom figures it out, and that's when the ''real'' lab mouse appears...
** In the Deitch-era short "Mouse Into Space", Tom tries to prevent Jerry from leaving the house by holding a gun to his head. It doesn't work.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Parasites Lost", Fry [[FantasticVoyagePlot goes inside his own body]] and threatens to destroy his ''medulla oblongata'' in order to get rid of the parasitic worms he picked up recently, in a situation that doubles as TakingYouWithMe.
* A variation is tried in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. The Blue Spirit and Aang were trying to escape a Fire Nation base but were surrounded and about to be killed. The Fire Nation commander, Admiral Zhao, warned his soldiers that they needed Aang alive... and the Blue Spirit immediately put his swords at Aang's neck, even though he needs Aang alive too. At first it looked like it worked and Aang and the Blue Spirit left the base, but as soon as Zhao's elite archers were in position the Blue Spirit got an arrow to the face for the trouble (luckily, Aang can run ''really'' fast and saved both of them).
* Played with a little in the WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck short ''Clown of the Jungle'', where the [[{{Troll}} Aracuan bird]] begins crying and threatening to commit suicide when Donald gets too angry at his actions, causing Donald to back off. Towards the end of the cartoon, Donald finally has had enough, goes into a rage and tries to shoot the Aracuan, who suddenly finds his threats of suicide have completely lost their effect.

* In the manga version of ''Manga/{{Mega Man X}}4'', the co-protagonist Maverick Hunter Zero gets into a fight with his old friend Colonel of Repliforce, since he was unwilling to cease the Repliforce coup d'etat against the Maverick Hunters and the government. Iris, Colonel's brother and a friend to them both, threatens to shoot and kill herself unless they stop fighting, as she feared one of them would die. She is successful, Zero puts down his saber, and Colonel uses the opportunity to swing his saber at Zero, but he stops at the last moment. [[spoiler:Sadly, during their second fight, Zero held nothing back and did kill Colonel by slicing him in half]].
* Ouka stops Kyouka from commiting GrandTheftMe on him in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'' using this method.
* [[spoiler:Higuchi]] in ''Manga/DeathNote'', after having been cornered as the current Kira, does this to keep himself from being caught. At some point he realizes it is hopeless and tries to pull the trigger. Watari [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands snipes it out of his hands]].
* Kaiba in ''Anime/YuGiOh'' stands on a very high ledge, such that if Yami Yugi attacks with his monster to deal the finishing blow, he'll be knocked off the ledge and fall to his death. But it's subverted in a way. [[KnightTemplar Yami Yugi]] doesn't care! He would have gone ahead and knocked Kaiba off of the rooftop if not for Yugi's intervention. The fact that the Pharaoh is willing to go so far to win promptly puts Yugi in a HeroicBSOD.

* In the first ''Literature/VampireHunterD'' movie, the female lead threatens to [[TongueSuicide bite out her tongue and bleed to death]] unless the villains leave her brother and the town doctor alone.
* In ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'', Wolfwood seems to do this, to provide a visual example on how someone's chosen action will lead to the death of hundreds. It is quickly revealed however, that he never intended to put himself in any danger, and was using an empty clip.
* In early ''Manga/OnePiece'', Kaya threatens to cut her own throat with a chakram if [[TheDragon Jango]] doesn't spare the children he's currently pummeling. Since he needs her alive long enough to write a will naming [[EvilGenius Captain Kuro]] as her sole inheritor, it works.

* In ''Manhua/SchoolShock'', the Hao Xuan pulls this off with a mecha to help Liu Li escape.
* In ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'', the Lord of Terror's last and dirtiest trick is to possess Keiichi. He then demands that Skuld build him a ten-dimensional scythe which he needs to cut the universe's superstring. When Skuld refuses, he grabs a hammer and starts bashing his (Keiichi's) skull. Skuld grudgingly agrees to build the scythe. Later on, Skuld complains that the Lord of Terror could at least help look for building materials instead of sitting around all day. He promptly pulls out the hammer again.
* A twist on this occurs in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' episode 34. After realizing that the Freedom's pilot has a ThouShaltNotKill policy, Shinn Asuka exploits it in their next battle by deliberately putting himself in situations where his attacks would become fatal, which forces Kira to check his swings.
* During ''Anime/DragonBallZ'''s Cell saga Android 18 is confronted with Cell, a much more powerful monster who wishes to absorb her in order to evolve to his perfect form. Having seen her twin brother being absorbed only a short time before, 18 threatens to blow herself up if Cell continues to pursue her. Since he needs her alive for his plan to work, the threat stops Cell (albeit only temporarily).

* In ''Franchise/StarWars: ComicBook/{{Legacy}}'', Cade Skywalker is being visited by the ghost of his ancestor, Luke, who wants him to stop wasting his life taking drugs, smuggling, and bounty hunting and instead [[MessianicArchetype embrace his family's legacy]]. Cade pulls a blaster, which Luke points out isn't going to hurt him since he's long dead. So Cade points it at himself.

* Index in the ''Fanfic/ToAruverseRewriteProject'' does this in order to remain in Academy City. Because she made a vow that will kill her through magic if she doesn't get justice for the children who died, she has to remain there to see it through no matter what anyone else wants.
* ''Fanfic/TellingLiesNoMama'' has the akuma Facade, formed from two victims being forcibly merged into one when they were simultaneously akumatized. One side of Facade is FightingFromTheInside, and the other half attempts to take that side hostage as leverage against the heroes.
* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': When the fey kidnappers attempt to force Gloria to drop her weapon, they make the mistake of revealing they're not allowed to harm her. She instantly presses her rapier to her own throat and dares them to take another step.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/FlirtingScholar'': The main character's mother and eight wives threaten suicide unless he changes his ways, definitely a RuleOfFunny example with InsaneTrollLogic.

* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'': Will puts a gun to his own throat while standing next to the ship's edge, in order to get Elizabeth released from Barbossa's crew. Initially, however, it only really leaves Barbossa and his men confused as to why they should care, and Will has to explain who he is -- [[JustifiedTrope they need the blood from his living body to lift their curse]].

* The opening scene of ''Film/MurderAt1600'' features the protagonist (a D.C. homicide cop) trying to talk down a cracked government bureaucrat who is holding a gun to his own head in the middle of a busy street. Why is a homicide detective filling in for a hostage negotiator? Don't ask so many questions.
* John Connor tries this in ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'' against the Terminator sent to protect him. It doesn't work because it has enough programming on human psychology to realize that John's threat was most likely a bluff.

* In the French movie ''Film/RRRrrrr'', the leader of the Cheveux Sales (the Dirty Hairs) takes himself hostage in order to force the Cheveux Propres (the Clean Hairs) to give his tribe the secret of shampoo. When the Cheveux Propres utterly ignore his demands as expected, he actually [[TooDumbToLive follows through with his threat to kill the hostage.]] Yes, it's ''that'' kind of movie. Perfectly summarized in a dialog during his funeral:
-->'''New Chief:''' He said gimme the secret before dusk or I'll kill myself. He said it -- he did it: A great man...\\
'''His daugther:''' Rather more a great nitwit!\\
'''New Chief:''' ''[reluctantly, through tears]'' Yeah ...

* In ''[[Film/SWAT2003 S.W.A.T.]]'', the team's first assignment after passing the S.W.A.T. test is to deal with a "Polish hostage" (a forty-something mental patient off his meds, specifically).
-->'''Deeks:''' So what if he's Polish?\\
'''Hondo:''' Naw, it means he's one of those "anybody comes in, I blow my head off" type guys.
* In the Creator/AndreiTarkovsky film ''Film/TheSacrifice'', Alexander is convinced that sleeping with his maid Maria [[ItMakesSenseInContext will avert]] WorldWarIII. He gets her to go along with it by pointing a gun at his head.
* ''Film/{{Elysium}}'': Max holds a live grenade to his head and threatens to detonate it to destroy the valuable [[NeuralImplanting implanted information]] in his head, in order to force the Elysium mercenaries to allow him onto their shuttle. They agree... because they have Max's friend and her daughter on board as hostages -- if he detonates the grenade, [[MexicanStandoff he'll kill them as well]].
* Mel, in ''Film/{{Shuttle}}'' attempts to escape a White Slavery ring by threatening to cut her face if they don't let her go.

* ''Film/ThirteenSins'': While wrecking the rehearsal dinner, Elliot keeps the security guards at bay by holding a serving fork to his own throat and threatening to stab himself.
* At the climax of ''Film/JohnCarpentersVampires'', Father Guiteau kills the evil cardinal [[BigBad Valek]] needs to complete his ritual (it requires an ordained priest). When Valek demands that Guiteau do the ritual instead, Guiteau just points his gun at himself and dares Valek to try and make him do it. Bear in mind that this is all happening ''right before sunrise''; [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose whatever Valek does, he's screwed]].

* Dona Lolita, the heroine of the original ''Franchise/{{Zorro}}'' novel, does this with a dagger, forcing the Alcalde's guards to let her escape.

* In ''Literature/{{Shatterpoint}}'', Mace Windu takes himself hostage to coerce [[spoiler:his renegade Padawan Depa]], referring to himself as "the only hostage a Jedi could legally take". He comments on it, later:
-->'''Depa:''' Only Mace Windu would think of taking ''himself'' hostage.\\
'''Mace:''' I was the only one available.
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Literature/GravePeril'', Harry gets past Leanansidhe by [[spoiler:poisoning himself. His friend has the antidote]], which he'll exchange for Lea's word that she'll leave Harry alone for a year and a day.
* In ''[[Literature/RepairmanJack Harbingers]]'', [[spoiler:Jack uses this when the Ally has mortally wounded Gia and Vicky. Since he's the backup ChosenOne, his threat to shoot himself if they die works.]]
* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/LuckyStarrAndTheRingsOfSaturn'': Bigman Jones holds a [[EnergyWeapon needle-gun]] to his own head and threatens suicide to manipulate a group of ThreeLawsCompliant robots--they are forced to do what he says, because they can't allow a human being to come to harm. Bigman tells them to deliver him to the base commander, Sten Devoure.

* In ''Literature/TheGirlFromTheWell'', Tark at one point threatens the woman in black to stop or he'll kill himself, as he's realized that if he dies before she manages to break the five seals binding her to him then she'll die along with him.
* In the ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures'' novel ''Death and Diplomacy'', Jason Kane pulls this in order to escape from a potentially-dangerous situation. Includes a ShoutOut to ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' itself, with Jason spouting Bart's "Jesse Owens" line before bolting.
* In the ''Literature/OddThomas'' series, this is the reason Odd DoesNotLikeGuns. His emotionally abusive mother used to pull this on him when he was a kid.

* In ''WebAnimation/HunterTheParenting'', [[spoiler:Officer Guy Chapman]], a man addicted to vampire blood(a "ghoul" as the setting describes them, servants to vampires in exchange for the blood), admits he is willing to go to any lengths to get his fix, to the point where he will take suicidal action to get it from the vampire Big-D has locked in his house. And [[spoiler:since Chapman is a cop]], his death would not go unnoticed, giving him real leverage in the situation.

* A variation is tried in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. The Blue Spirit and Aang were trying to escape a Fire Nation base but were surrounded and about to be killed. The Fire Nation commander, Admiral Zhao, warned his soldiers that they needed Aang alive...and the Blue Spirit immediately put his swords at Aang's neck, even though he needs Aang alive too. At first it looked like it worked and Aang and the Blue Spirit left the base, but as soon as Zhao's elite archers were in position the Blue Spirit got an arrow to the face for the trouble (luckily, Aang can run ''really'' fast and saved both of them).