History Main / DelayingTheRescue

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': In ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumber1'', Superman tells a tied up woman "Make yourself comfortable, I haven't time to attend to it!" and rushes after the villain instead.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': As part of a plan to determine where the Dark Kingdom is hidden, Sailor Moon pretends to be feuding with the other senshi and willing to defect. Kunzite and his MonsterOfTheWeek pretend to fall for it, opening a portal to their realm, then attack Sailor Moon when she tries to buy time for Mercury to scan the portal. The other girls have to force themselves to remain hidden, even as Kunzite reveals he's aware of their presence and taunts his captive, cruelly suggesting that they don't ''want'' to save her.

* A bit of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness in ''Action Comics'' #1 when Franchise/{{Superman}} tells a tied up woman "Make yourself comfortable, I haven't time to attend to it!" and rushes after the villain instead.

%% Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestions thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions146
%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

!!Examples

[[folder:ComicBooks]]
* A bit of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness in ''Action Comics'' #1 when Franchise/{{Superman}} tells a tied up woman "Make yourself comfortable, I haven't time to attend to it!" and rushes after the villain instead.

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* ''[[Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''. Upon finding Marion, Indy elects to leave her BoundAndGagged so he can have more time to find the Ark.

[[folder:{{Video Games}}]]

[[folder:WebAnimation]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'': The main plot revolves around rescuing Imoen from Irenicus. Before launching your expedition, not only you might spend weeks if not months solving quests and collecting items, you are even adviced by Jaheira that it would be wise to take your time, prepare adequately and find allies. It doesn't matter how much time you spend before going to rescue her.

* A Sly Cooper [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI6vkyyK4Lc animated short]] had a version of this with Carmalita Fox being left BoundAndGagged while Sly sought out his target.

* In an episode of TMNT (1980's), April and Irma are captured and tied up. Michelangelo saves them from being kidnapped, but leaves them tied up while he goes off to fight Shredder, prompting April to yell after him "You could at least untie us!"

** In an episode of ScoobyDooAndGuessWho, Daphne, Velma and Fred are BoundAndGagged. Scooby, Shaggy and Axel Rose find and ungag them, but leave them tied up while they go after the villain.

Maybe he has more work to do and doesn't want to be discovered. Maybe the DistressedDamsel is just going to get in his way or complicate matters if she's rescued. Maybe she's actually more insistent that he catch the villain.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' episode "Scooby Doo and a Mummy Too", Shaggy leaves the professor BoundAndGagged after getting his word that he's all right. "Groovy. Be back for you later."
* In an episode of ScoopyDooAndGuessWho, Daphne, Velma and Fred are BoundAndGagged. Scooby, Shaggy and Axel Rose find and ungag them, but leave them tied up while they go after the villain.

A sub-trope of DamselInDistress. Compare PassiveRescue, where someone is given the means to get themselves out of distress, and SomethingWeForgot, where the hero doesn't immediately rescue someone because they've forgotten about their situation.

** Because of the free nature of the gameplay, you can do this with any subquest where you have to rescue someone, without incurring in any consequence. For example, while you are one door before freeing Garren Windspear's daughter, you can leave, complete any other quest and then only come before starting the final mission (Anomen will complain that you are getting too time though). The same for the prisoner lady in Atkathla's bridge.

* ''[[VideoGame/BaldursGateII]]'': The main plot revolves around rescuing Imoen from Irenicus. Before launching your expedition, not only you might spend weeks if not months solving quests and collecting items, you are even adviced by Jaheira that it would be wise to take your time, prepare adequately and find allies. It doesn't matter how much time you spend before going to rescue her.

* ''[[VideoGame/TombRaider2013]]'': you can fast travel to any campsite, or simply backtrack, spending your time whenever you want before attempting the rescue in the final section of the game. However, there is a final campsite that warns you that by proceeding you won't be able to come back, warning you of the "point of no return". Before that you can take your time and do anything you want.

!Examples

A sub-trope of DamselInDistress. Compare PassiveRescue, where someone is given the means to get themselves out of distress.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:WebAnimation]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* WebVideo/UltraFastPony'': In "The David Bowie Drinking Game", Rarity gets kidnapped by some diamond dogs. She's a huge masochist, so she asks Spike to wait four hours or so before organizing a rescue party.

* A bit of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness in [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Action Comics #1]] when Superman tells a tied up woman "Make yourself comfortable, I haven't time to attend to it!" and rushes after the villain instead.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' episode "Scooby Doo and a Mummy Too", Shaggy leaves the professor BoundAndGagged after getting his word that he's all right. "Groovy. Be back for you later."

Maybe he has more work to do and doesn't want to be discovered. Maybe the DistressedDamsel is just going to get in his way or complicate matters if she's rescued.

* A bit of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness in [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Action Comics #1]] when Superman tells a tied up woman "Make yourself comfortable, I haven't time to attend to it!" and rushs after the villain instead.