History Main / BetterToKillThanFrighten

Oftentimes the applicant of this trope is the TheDreaded and/or DragonInChief, as well as AxCrazy to boot given the tendency to use this trope as an outlet for their sadism, and if the murder isn't what kicks the plot off, it will always result in a major revelation or turning point for every major character involved much later on.

'''Frank:''' People scare easier when they're dyin'.

--> '''JD:''' Well at least you got what y'wanted... y'know?'
--> '''Veronica:''' Got what I wanted? It is one thing to want somebody out of your life, it is another thing to serve them a wake-up cup full of liquid drainer.

-->'''Veronica:''' ''Ich Luge'' bullets! I'm such an idiot!
--> '''JD:''' Look, you believed it, because you wanted to believe it. Your true feelings were too gross and icky for you to face.
--> '''Veronica:''' I did not want them dead!

-->'''Mr. Croup:''' ''[disgusted]'' Scarecrows.\\

A SubTrope of KickTheDog and OverzealousUnderling. Can often lead to a YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo situation. Compare to WhyDontYouJustShootHim, and see to that trope instead if Bob actively decides to kill Alice himself instead of hiring the mafia to scare Alice.

The dire consequences of this act are rarely one-sided however, and sometimes to the hitman's confusion, their boss will berate them for this, because [[UnderlingWithAnFInPR unlike the hitman]], the boss seems to be fully aware of the potential of said consequences. A {{Deconstruction}} might ensue, after all, because as the boss knows, the victim has family and friends that would certainly come looking for the victim, and they might just bring along TheHero, their FriendOnTheForce, or [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure someone with the actual political power]] to do something about the murder, and bring the entire operation down. If the boss in question also happens to be the story's AntiVillain, PragmaticVillain, or just the BigBad [[EvenEvilHasStandards with standards]], then one should expect the boss and the hitman to increasingly butt heads over the hitman's methods, until the boss decides [[YouHaveFailedMe they've had enough]], or [[DragonAscendant the hitman decides to take over their boss's empire]].

Notably, this trope is not restricted to just hitmen taking out victims in spite of their employers orders. It can just as well apply to someone going to a friend, family member, a random stranger, coworker, or just about anyone they might know to help them solve a problem in a manner than preferably ends with the target alive, only for the problem-solver, as it were, to simply kill the target anyway because they thought it'd get them better results. Some of the employers may even be sympathetic, decent characters who merely wanted to get rid of a (possibly even dangerous) persecutor but have things escalate well beyond what they were ready to deal with. For that matter, there doesn't necessarily have to be a goal that the victim is standing in the way of; maybe Bob doesn't want to build a bridge, he just simply doesn't like Alice and wants her out of his way.

Bob wants to build a huge bridge from his mansion to Tropeteria for his personal use, but Alice happens to live in a cottage that's in the proposed pathway of the bridge, and she refuses to leave. So Bob decides to hire the local mafia to help him "persuade" Alice to leave by scaring her into compliance. Unfortunately for Alice, the mafia decides it's easier to remove Alice if she's a corpse, despite Bob's orders.

** In ''Film/BatmanReturns'', the Penguin kidnaps the Ice Princess with the help of Catwoman and holds her hostage at the top of a high-rise building, with the intention of framing Batman for the crime to cause him to lose public support. When Batman comes to rescue the Princess, Penguin uses bats to force the Princess over the edge of the building, framing Batman for murder as well as kidnapping. Catwoman is [[EveryoneHasStandards quietly horrified]], saying she thought they were just going to ''scare'' the Princess, to which Penguin remarks "She looked pretty scared to me!"

Notably, this trope is not restricted to just hitmen taking out victims in spite of their employers orders. It can just as well apply to someone going to a friend, family member, a random stranger, coworker, or just about anyone they might know to help them solve a problem in a manner than preferably ends with the target alive, only for the problem-solver, as it were, to simply kill the target anyway because they thought it'd get them better results. For that matter, there doesn't necessarily have to be a goal that the victim is standing in the way of; maybe Bob doesn't want to build a bridge, he just simply doesn't like Alice and wants her out of his way.

** An inversion also happens in VideoGame/MassEffect2 ,: when Mordin discovers that his ''previous'' assistant Maelon has [[spoiler:nearly discovered a cure for the Genophage]], he concludes that letting him off with a scare wouldn't make him stop and prepares to shoot him. Shepard has to take a Paragon [[QuickTimeEvent Interrupt]] to change his mind.

The dire consequences of this act are rarely one-sided however, and sometimes to the hitman's confusion, their boss will berate them for this, because unlike the hitman, the boss seems to be fully aware of the potential of said consequences. A {{Deconstruction}} might ensue, after all, because as the boss knows, the victim has family and friends that would certainly come looking for the victim, and they might just bring along TheHero, their FriendOnTheForce, or [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure someone with the actual political power]] to do something about the murder, and bring the entire operation down. If the boss in question also happens to be the story's AntiVillain, PragmaticVillain, or just the BigBad [[EvenEvilHasStandards with standards]], then one should expect the boss and the hitman to increasingly butt heads over the hitman's methods, until the boss decides [[YouHaveFailedMe they've had enough]], or [[DragonAscendant the hitman decides to take over their boss's empire]].

A SubTrope of KickTheDog. Can often lead to a YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo situation. Compare to WhyDontYouJustShootHim, and see to that trope instead if Bob actively decides to kill Alice himself instead of hiring the mafia to scare Alice.

The dire consequences of this act are rarely one-sided however, and sometimes to the hitman's confusion, their boss will berate them for this, because unlike the hitman, the boss seems to be fully aware of the potential of said consequences. A SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome might ensue, after all, because as the boss knows, the victim has family and friends that would certainly come looking for the victim, and they might just bring along TheHero, their FriendOnTheForce, or [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure someone with the actual political power]] to do something about the murder, and bring the entire operation down. If the boss in question also happens to be the story's AntiVillain, PragmaticVillain, or just the BigBad [[EvenEvilHasStandards with standards]], then one should expect the boss and the hitman to increasingly butt heads over the hitman's methods, until the boss decides [[YouHaveFailedMe they've had enough]], or [[DragonAscendant the hitman decides to take over their boss's empire]].

** Downplayed with [[AlphaBitch Heather Chandler's]] death. After having her reputation threatened by Heather Chandler, Veronica decides to humiliate her by using a fake hangover cure that will make her vomit. JD suggests they use drain cleaner instead, pouring some into an identical mug, which Veronica dismisses as a BlackComedy joke. But when Veronica takes the wrong mug to Heather by mistake, JD doesn't correct her, and in fact eggs Heather on to drink it, watching her asphyxiate to death.

* ''WebAnimation/DingoDoodles'': Discussed in "D&D Story: Ep 24 - Taking out a Town [Fool's Gold]", when Sips, whose curse has been [[SanitySlippage gradually driving him insane]], casually suggests killing someone instead of simply intimidating them to leave town so they can safely open an explosive portal. He justifies it by saying the man has proven too stubborn to frighten and if he stays, he could become a problem for the party. Gothi talks him off the ledge, reminding him that he's only ever killed people who truly deserve it. Sips maintains he will still use it as a last resort.

** Played straight with [[JerkJock Kurt and Ram]] later, when JD convinces Veronica they should humiliate them for spreading rumors about her by luring them to the woods, shooting them with ''Ich Luge'' [[note]] Translation: "I'm lying" [[/note]] "tranquilizer bullets" JD supposedly got from his war vet grandfather, and making it look like they had a gay suicide pact that failed. It all goes according to plan... except Veronica is horrified to realize the bullets were real. JD insists on some level she wanted them dead just as much as he did, and that the chaos and fear in the wake of these deaths scares others into not being assholes. Veronica sees Heather, Ram, and Kurt's faked suicides have only made them look like martyrs to emulate instead of the assholes they were, and that Heather Duke easily assumed Heather Chandler's place as AlphaBitch -- nothing has really changed.

* ''Film/{{Heathers}}'':
** Downplayed with [[AlphaBitch Heather Chandler's]] death. After having her reputation threatened by Heather Chandler, Veronica decides to humiliate her by using a fake hangover cure that will make her vomit. JD suggests they use drain cleaner instead, pouring some into an identical mug, which Veronica dismisses as a BlackComedy joke. But when Veronica takes the wrong mug to Heather by mistake, JD doesn't correct her, and in fact eggs Heather on to drink it when she thinks it looks weird, watching her asphyxiate to death, helping Veronica to make it look like a fake suicide.
** Played straight with [[JerkJock Kurt and Ram]] later, when JD convinces Veronica they should humiliate them for spreading rumors about her by luring them to the woods, shooting them with ''Ich Luge'' [[note]] Translation: "I'm lying" [[/note]] "tranquilizer bullets" JD supposedly got from his war vet grandfather, and making it look like they had a gay suicide pact that failed. It all goes according to plan... except Veronica is horrified to realize the bullets were real. JD insists on some level she knew and wanted them dead just as much as he did, and that the chaos and fear in the wake of these deaths scares others into not being assholes. Veronica sees Heather, Ram, and Kurt's faked suicides have only made them look like martyrs to emulate instead of the assholes they were, and that Heather Duke easily assumed Heather Chandler's place as AlphaBitch -- nothing has really changed.

** Played straight with [[JerkJock Kurt and Ram]] later, when JD convinces Veronica they should humiliate them for spreading rumors about her by luring them to the woods, shooting them with ''Ich Luge'' [[note:]] Translation: "I'm lying" [[/note]] "tranquilizer bullets" JD supposedly got from his war vet grandfather, and making it look like they had a gay suicide pact that failed. It all goes according to plan... except Veronica is horrified to realize the bullets were real. JD insists on some level she knew and wanted them dead just as much as he did, and that the chaos and fear in the wake of these deaths scares others into not being assholes. Veronica sees Heather, Ram, and Kurt's faked suicides have only made them look like martyrs to emulate instead of the assholes they were, and that Heather Duke easily assumed Heather Chandler's place as AlphaBitch -- nothing has really changed.

->'''Morton:''' Tell me, was it necessary you kill all of them? I only told you to scare them!
->'''Frank:''' People scare easier when they're dyin'.
-->--''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest''

!!Examples

* {{ComicBook/Batman}} and ComicBook/ThePunisher have occasionally crossed over and worked together, though because of their extreme opposite approaches in dealing with criminals they often end up in this situation. It's usually resolved by Batman beating up Frank for being a mass-murdering psychopath (notably once saving the Joker's life by doing so). Frank's view is that while he won't kill heroes, their continued insistence on ThouShallNotKill only perpetuates the problem, and until they decide to kill ''him'', he's going to keep on doing it.

* * In ''Film/BatmanReturns'', the Penguin kidnaps the Ice Princess with the help of Catwoman and holds her hostage at the top of a high-rise building, with the intention of framing Batman for the crime to cause him to lose public support. When Batman comes to rescue the Princess, Penguin uses bats to force the Princess over the edge of the building, framing Batman for murder as well as kidnapping. Catwoman is [[EveryoneHasStandards quietly horrified]], saying she thought they were just going to ''scare'' the Princess, to which Penguin remarks "She looked pretty scared to me!"
* ''Film/TheBatman2022'': When Bruce Wayne begins to investigate as to what role the Riddler accuses him of having in Gotham City's rampant corruption, [[spoiler: he discovers that his father, Thomas Wayne, had covered up the history of mental illness that ran in the Arkham family, which included Bruce's mother Martha. When a reporter uncovers it, he threatened to expose the coverup, and in a moment of desperation to protect his wife and his son, Thomas turned to Carmine Falcone, the leader of the Falcone crime family, in the hopes of scaring the reporter into silence. To Thomas' horror, Falcone instead had the reporter murdered, and when Bruce questions Falcone about it, Falcone simply asserts (and tries to assure Bruce) that the reporter was a lowlife that deserved it anyway.]]

* ''Film/Robocop2'': Robocop nearly captures Cain from information supplied by DirtyCop Officer Duffy. Cain has Duffy brought to him and strapped down next to some surgical tools, an implied threat... that becomes a reality when Cain has Duffy disemboweled. When Angie sobs that Cain had said he was just going to scare him, Cain snarks, "He looks scared, doesn't he?"
* ''Film/BlowOut'': The assassination of Governor [=McRyan=] is quickly revealed to have been performed by a man named Burke, who was hired by [=McRyan=]'s political opponents to create dirt to {{blackmail}} the Governor into falling out of the race to become President. Burke establishes that he's a PsychoForHire when he calmly explains to his employers after the fact that his orders were explicitly to "take ([=McRyan=]) out of the race" and thus murdering him was "[[ExactWords within the parameters of the order]]". Burke's employers, [[EvenEvilHasStandards who are already foaming at the mouth as it is because of Burke's tactics]], immediately fire him -- but Burke decides to go on a killing spree to make sure said orders [[LeaveNoWitnesses are completely followed through]].

* ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'': A point of contention between the partnership of Croup and Vandemar and their employer, [[spoiler: Angel Islington]]. Self-described cutthroats and assassins, Croup and Vandemar have murdered all of Door's family and pursued her through London Below, alongside Richard Mayhew, a man from London Above who got caught up in the whole mess. After they're given a stern telling off for nearly killing Door, [[spoiler: whom Islington needs alive to escape his Earthly prison]], Croup complains.
--> '''Mr. Croup:''' (disgusted) ''Scarecrows.''
--> '''Mr. Vandemar:''' ''Best way to scare crows, you just creep up behind them and put your hand round their little crow necks and squeeze until they don't move anymore. That scares the stuffing out of them.''

* ''Series/BurnNotice'': This is something of a RunningGag with Michael's "trigger-happy ex-girlfriend" Fiona, who frequently points out that it's simpler to just shoot the MonsterOfTheWeek than attempt the ZanyScheme du jour to scare them into leaving town or get them caught by the police. Michael prefers not to kill anybody he doesn't absolutely have to for both practical and moral reasons, and is usually shown to be right with some notable exceptions.

* In the BBC miniseries Jute City two henchmen get told off by their boss for strangling John Sessions' character with the words, " You cretins! I told you to restrict his movement, not his ''breathing''!"
* ''Series/Merlin2008'': A lighter variation where Arthur instructs Merlin to distract the guards, but Merlin ends up knocking them unconscious with his magic.
--> '''Arthur:''' What did you do? I said distract them, not knock them out!
--> '''Merlin:''' There's just no pleasing you sometimes.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'': Playing the [[UnscrupulousHero renegade side]] of the series' KarmaMeter will often lead to situations where [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] is given the option to resolve a conflict through intimidation or violence. For example, an early side-quest in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' involves searching for Mordin's missing assistant, Daniel, who has been taken hostage. Shepard can either resolve the situation by peacefully persuading Daniel's captors to let him go, threatening them into backing down, or can straight up gun them down in cold blood (prompting a WhatTheHellHero from Daniel).

[[folder: Web Animation]]

[[folder: WesternAnimation]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty:'' Discussed in [[Recap/RickAndMortyS3E10TheRickchurianMortydate "The Rickchurian Mortydate"]], Rick warns a secret sevice agent that he will die if he touches Rick. The agent drops dead without a sound.
--> '''The President:''' What was that?
-->'''Rick:''' Death.
-->'''The President:''' What kind?
-->'''Rick:''' Instant.
-->'''The President:''' There was no sound. He just died.
-->'''Rick:''' Yeah, terrifying. It's a terrifying thing to watch happen. It's called a deterrent.
-->'''The President:''' You couldn't just knock him out?
-->'''Rick:''' How is knocking out a deterrent? Everyone wants to be knocked out. Nobody wants to be dead.

The dire consequences of this act are rarely one-sided however, and sometimes to the hitman's confusion, their boss will berate them for this, because unlike the hitman, the boss seems to be fully aware of the potential of said consequences. A SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome might ensue, after all, because as the boss knows, the victim has family and friends that would certainly come looking for the victim, and they might just bring along TheHero, their FriendOnTheForce, or [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure someone with the actual political power]] to do something about the murder, and bring the entire operation down. If the boss in question also happens to be the story's AntiVillain, PragmaticVillain, or just the BigBad [[EvenEvilHasStandards with standards]], then one should expect the boss and the hitman to increasingly butt heads over the hitman's methods, until the boss decides [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness they've had enough]], or [[DragonAscendant the hitman decides to take over their boss's empire]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS3E4Hitman Hitman]]", Ice King is grounded by Finn for kidnapping princesses, so he hires a hitman named Scorcher to get even with Finn. Due to [[LiteralMinded misunderstanding what a hitman does]], Ice King thinks he's just going to hit Finn, like punch him in the arm, so he's shocked to find that Scorcher is trying to ''kill'' Finn and tries to stop him.

* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'': In the HalloweenEpisode "The Shaving", to try and scare Carl, Shake and Willie Nelson hook up the doorknob of his house to a transformer, and drive a cement mixer full of blood to it. Willie has some reservations, asking Shake if they're trying to kill him, or scare him. Shake responds thusly.
-->'''Shake:''' Killing is scaring. C'mon, it's Halloween!

* In the BBC miniseries Jute City two henchmen get told off by their boss for strangling John Session's character with the words, " You cretins! I told you to restrict his movement, not his ''breathing''!"

* ''WebAnimation/DingoDoodles'': Discussed in "D&D Story: Ep 24 - Taking out a Town [Fool's Gold]", when Sips, whose curse has been [[SanitySlippage gradually driving him insane]], casually suggests killing someone instead of simply intimidating them to leave town so they can safely open an explosive portal. Gothi talks him off the ledge, reminding him that he only kills people who truly deserve it.

* ''Film/OnceUponATimeIntheWest'': Frank is the AxCrazy leader of an outlaw outfit working for the railroad baron Mr. Morton, who had set about building his rail in the hopes of seeing the Pacific Ocean before his tuberculosis kills him. Morton had sent Frank ahead in the hopes that Frank would convince or scare Mr. [=McBain=] into giving up his land, as [=McBain=] had figured out where the railroad was eventually going to end up passing through and planned on becoming rich by building an entire town around where he knew the train would end up needing to be to refuel. Frank decides that killing [=McBain=] and his three children would achieve the same result faster, as [=McBain=] had not yet built the train station he needed to have by the time the railroad was coming through his land (his contract would have had the land's ownership revert to Morton if a station wasn't built) [[note]]And as his wife Jill [=McBain=] found out, the materials necessary for building the station and entire town were already created and only needed to be shipped off to [=McBain=]'s land for assembly[[/note]]. Morton, disgusted by this and Frank's continued violent insubordination, later buys Frank's gang out and orders them to betray and kill Frank. It's only because of [[TheGunslinger Harmonica's]] [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou intervention]] that the attempt fails.