History Main / IHaveAFamily

-->'''Gordon:''' I've got a family. You've met my family; you've been to my house...\\
'''De Kere:''' You have a family? SO DID I! ''(kills Gordon)''
* Subverted in the original ''[[Film/TotalRecall1990 Total Recall]]'' with Benny the cab driver, who keeps talking of his five children until he's revealed to be an agent of the BigBad.

* In Jim Butcher's ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' novel ''Literature/DeadBeat'', after [[spoiler:Phil]] dies, [[spoiler:Butters]] tells Harry that he didn't have a family -- and they agree that no, it doesn't make it better.

* Horribly subverted in ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', one of the prisoners at the Ministry Of Love is being dragged off for torture in Room 101, and begs that he has a wife and family... and then begs his captors to kill THEM instead, rather than having to face the horror of {{Room 101}}. The idea is not to punish you, but to break you to the point where you will betray anyone you once cared about to make the torture stop. It is ''their'' fault your torture continues, when you break your loyalty to them, The Party is a merciful, loving figure that takes away all the pain.

* An inversion appears in ''Brisingr'', the third book of the "Literature/InheritanceCycle." A soldier fighting for TheEmpire begs Eragon to spare his life, as he is too young to die - he has yet to marry and father a child. Unfortunately, Eragon cannot spare him, as the soldier has sworn a magical oath in service of Galbatorix that would force him to betray Eragon.
* In Creator/JulieKagawa's ''Literature/TheIronKnight'', the catfish uses this on Puck. It works.
* A variant happens in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''. Harry and Hermione watch the corrupt Ministry of Magic brutally interrogate a Muggle-born woman who they [[KangarooCourt accused of "stealing" magic from "real" witches and wizards]]. When they ask her to confirm the names of her husband and children, she cries and tells them that her children are afraid that she'll never come home to them. The officials (actually Death Eaters) coldly respond that they don't care about the "brats" of Mudbloods. [[spoiler:When Harry, Hermione, and Ron release all the prisoners at the Ministry, one of the things they say is for them to find their families and escape the country.]]
* In ''Literature/{{Pact}}'', Blake Thorburn attempts to use this to guilt-trip a [[MageKiller witch hunter]] that is likely going to try to kill him in the future, using it as a way of humanizing himself, preventing the witch hunter from mentally dehumanizing him by talking about his estranged family, his friends, and how he feels about the situation. The witch hunter admits that he'll still kill Blake if he's ordered to do so, but now he'll feel like shit afterwards.
%% * Literature/JohnRain: [[BondOneLiner "I'll send flowers."]]
* ''Literature/TheExecutioner''. Mack Bolan (who's already lost his own family thanks to TheMafia) thinks his little brother Johnny has also been murdered (an ambitious mob boss actually faked his death in the hope that Bolan will run wild and kill his rivals). When another mob boss is confronted by Bolan, he starts rambling on about his family so Mack says, "For them, then" and lets him live.
* ''Literature/DungeonCrawlerCarl'': In the Hunting Grounds, a captured hunter begs for his life this way. Unfortunately, he specifically says "I'm not an NPC or a crawler, I'm a real person with a family!" While captured by a crawler. Turns out that calling your captor "not a real person" does not incline them towards not murdering you.
* ''Literature/GirlsDontHit'': Joss' first seen victim attempts to sway her using this. He thinks it's worked after she asks about his daughter. It's only to get tips about what her own daughter, also a teenager, might like for her birthday. She kills him remorselessly after getting this.
* ''Literature/TheBoyFromAleppoWhoPaintedTheWar'': While Adam and his surviving family members are traveling by bus to Damascus after their home in Aleppo is destroyed, soldiers come aboard to ask for everyone's ID, and find that one man doesn't have one. The man pleads, "Please don't take me, I have a family, please," but the soldiers drag him outside the bus and shoot him.
* An inadvertent version in ''Hit List'' by Creator/LawrenceBlock. [[ProfessionalKiller Keller]] isn't pleased to be handed a photograph of his target only to find it's a posed family photo, which even includes the dog. It puts him off his game slightly, but not enough to save the target.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'': Done via BilingualBonus in "Half Measure", when Mike is taking out the cartel {{mook}}s that have taken over one of Gus's warehouses. The poor secretary, who apparently had no clue the place was being used as a criminal front to begin with, or if Mike is here to help, begs for her life, saying she has three kids to take care of (but only in Mandarin, and without subtitles). After Mike dispatches all of the cartel thugs, she can be heard yelling at her boss about the danger he's putting them in, and how she has a family to take care of.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.
** A nameless factory worker makes this plea of the hell goddess Glory in Season 5. He makes a reappearance a few episodes later after Glory has MindRaped him. Turns out he wasn't lying, as his family is visiting him in the psych ward in hospital.
** A flashback scene in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E10Amends Amends]]" shows evil vampire Angelus about to feed on a female servant. When he shows his GameFace the servant pleads that she has a son. Angelus replies, "He'll make a fine dessert."
* Played utterly straight in the first episode of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', where Nikki reminds her creditors that she has a son. Jessica gets better results a few episodes later by telling a goon [[MamaBear what exactly she'll do to him if he threatens her son again.]]
* Played with on ''Series/{{House}}'', where one patient tries to get the medical proxy of another patient to sign off on a brain biopsy with it. It doesn't work, and it's revealed that she actually ''doesn't'' have the husband and daughter she said she did.
* A rare example of it working occurs in ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles''. Because she's a hero and a mom, she lets him go. Subverted in that [[spoiler:he is actually a bad guy and shoots her. Later, she kills him. Also, she finds out that while he doesn't have a son, he does have a wife.]]

* In ''Series/{{Oz}}'', an illegal immigrant being held in the prison is about to be murdered by Guerra with a nail gun. He begs, pleading "My wife and son?" Guerra cruelly responds "They will mourn you forever."
* ''Series/InspectorMorse''. Sgt Lewis is taken out into the woods and forced to [[DigYourOwnGrave dig his own grave]] by the Murderer-Of-The-Week. At one stage he turns to the killer and yells angrily, "For God's sake, I've got a wife and kids!" but the killer just tells him to keep digging. Fortunately Morse turns up at that moment.
* ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire:'' [[spoiler:Angela]] tries this when [[spoiler:Manny]] has a gun on her, having just killed [[spoiler:her lover Louise, albeit accidentally. It seems to work, until she offers money.]]
* In "The High Ground" on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Dr. Beverly Crusher tells a terrorist that has kidnapped that she has a son (Wesley Crusher). As it turns out, he isn't interested in killing her because he needs her medical services, though he does later launch an assault on the ''Enterprise'' that could have led to the death of Wesley.

* In the ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' episode "Double Date", a guy who picked up a woman at a bar and now believed he was being threatened by her husband with a gun (he was actually the mark in a [[TheCon con trick]]) pleads that he has a wife and kids. In the circumstances, [[AssholeVictim this doesn't make him any more sympathetic]].
* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''.
** In "God Mode" a SmugSnake DirtyCop threatens to kill Detective Carter's son if she doesn't stop investigating HR. When he's later attacked by a masked vigilante (Carter) he pleads, "Please, I have a family!" Carter takes pleasure in cracking a Glock across his face.
** Subverted when Control is interrogating a schoolteacher whom she suspects is TheHandler for several spies in her organisation. The teacher pleads ignorance and begs to be released, saying she has a daughter. However as Control [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes also has a daughter]], she realises the teacher is saying this to create empathy and manipulate her.
** Played for laughs when a terrorist tries this line on [[TokenEvilTeammate Sameen Shaw]]. Shaw replies that the fact that he has loved ones [[AndYourLittleDogToo means that Shaw can go after them]]. And the fact that he would allow that to happen [[HypocriticalHumor makes her really angry]].

* ''Series/GetSmart'': PlayedForLaughs in "Closely Watched Planes". Several CONTROL couriers have disappeared. Not fancying his chances with the IdiotHero guarding him, the latest courier pleads with Max to change roles, as he's got a wife and kids while Max is still single. Max protests that he's about to get married to Agent 99.

* PlayedForLaughs on ''Series/TheGoodPlace''. Janet, the humanoid AI who runs the neighborhood, is programmed to beg for her life if someone approaches the BigRedButton that reboots her. She'll also cheerfully remind the person doing so that all her pleas are fake and designed to make the person reconsider the reboot. When Eleanor tries to approach the button Janet produces a photograph of "her" children and asks who will take care of them if she's gone. The second Eleanor steps away from the button Janet calms down and admits the photograph is of random children at an awards ceremony.
* Trey attempts this in the ''Series/BroadCity'' episode "Kirk Steele":
-->'''Trey''': Please, Abbi, I have a kid.\\
'''Abbi''': What? You do?\\
'''Trey''': Probably! I mean, a paternity suit could pop up at any time.
* ''Series/{{Arrow}}''
** Used for DramaticIrony when the Arrow bursts in on Moira Queen declaring that she has failed this city. Moira holds up a picture of her daughter and son--not knowing the latter is actually the hooded vigilante holding her at arrowpoint--and begs him not to leave them without a mother. Oliver Queen lowers his bow...and gets shot when his mother throws down the picture and grabs a pistol.
** A bleeding security guard is shown crawling away from Black Siren.
--->'''Security guard:''' I have a wife...and two little girls...
--->'''Black Siren:''' ''([[FauxAffablyEvil caressing his head]])'' Shhhh, I know. [[FreudianExcuse I had a family once.]] ''({{Neck Snap}}s guard)''
* Frank attempts to pull this on Villanelle in ''Series/KillingEve''. She mistakes it for a ''bribe''.
-->'''Frank:''' I have children...
-->'''Villanelle:''' I don't want your children.
-->'''Frank:''' No. I have children to take care of.
-->'''Villanelle:''' Oh! This will give them something to bond over.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Played for laughs in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E01TheSearchPartI The Search, Part I]]". Quark refuses to go on a dangerous mission and volunteers his brother Rom instead. "He only has a son. I have a business!"
* ''Series/{{Intergalactic}}'': A Commonworld soldier being robbed by Ash, Echo and Verona begs them to spare him, saying he has a daughter. [[spoiler:Verona later shoots him when he breaks free, but feels guilty about it, gently putting his daughter's photo upright afterward.]]

* ''Series/TheProfessionals'': In "Slush Fund", Bodie uses this successfully as a sob story while posing as an unemployed man who's turned to burglary (he was searching a house but the wife returned early and caught him). Bodie goes to reach for a non-existent family photo to show her, but she quickly stops him and tells him to GetOut instead of calling the police. Afterwards Doyle scoffs that anyone would fall for this line. "It's not her heart that's soft."
* A rare protagonist example in Episode 9 of ''Series/DarkMatter2015''. When Four has one of the bandits who attacked the crew at his mercy, the man pleads that he has a wife and children. Four retorts that they can do better than him before shooting him.

*
In ''Film/{{Monster}}'', one of Aileen's victims tearfully and desperately tries this as she holds him at gunpoint. It doesn't work.

* Subverted in ''Film/LawAbidingCitizen''. Darby, who murdered the family of the VigilanteMan protagonist, escapes arrest with the help of a mysterious voice on the phone, who guides him to a knocked-out policeman in his squad car which he uses to escape the dragnet. He pulls up at an abandoned factory and is about to shoot the cop with his own gun.
-->'''Officer:''' What about my wife, my little girl? I'll never see them again!\\
'''Darby:''' That's fucked up, ain't it. ''[gets phone call]'' You don't mind if I take this, do ya? ''[into phone]'' My guardian angel, I am impressed.\\
'''Officer:''' ''[speaking into his phone]'' You know why I won't see my wife and little girl again? ''[takes off disguise to reveal himself as the vigilante]'' Because you took them from me.\\
''[Darby pulls the trigger and is stunned by the BackwardsFiringGun]''
* Amusingly played in ''Film/CitySlickers'', when Mitch is forced to ride off with the menacing Curly.
-->'''Mitch:''' Curly, did I ever show you pictures of my wife and kids? I'm their sole support, you know.
* ''Film/NurseBetty'': When Charlie holds him at gunpoint, [[spoiler:Sheriff Ballard]] says that he has two kids and a dog. Charlie is unimpressed.
* ''Film/{{Robocop|2014}}'' (2014). When [=RoboCop=] brutally interrogates one of Vallon's street thugs, the later begs for mercy, stating he has a wife and kids. Unfortunately for the thug, [=RoboCop=] has access to the police database and a quick search reveals that not only did the guy's wife leave him for domestic abuse, he also has no children.

* ''Film/NineDead'': Subverted. Kelly pleads with the captor to let her go because she has a young son. The captor angrily retorts that he knows quite well that she's a pretty neglectful parent because he had been spying on all of them, so he finds it insulting that she would try to use this as an excuse. [[spoiler:This is another clue that his grievance for capturing the nine people is a family matter.]]
* ''Film/DoctorZhivago''. The title character is kidnapped by Red partisans who have need of a doctor. Zhivago protests that he has a wife and child in Varykino. TheCommissar scoffs back, "And a mistress in Yuriatin!" having captured Zhivago on the way from one to the other.
* Becomes a SayingTooMuch moment in ''Film/SinnersAndSaints'' (2010). A detective is about to be burnt alive if he doesn't talk (and undoubtedly if he does as well). When he gives this trope, the BigBad says to his henchman, "He has a family -- you didn't think that was important?" and [[IHaveYourWife orders they be brought to him as well]]. Cue BigNo from the detective.
* When Craig points a gun at Pinky in ''[[Film/{{Friday}} Next Friday]]'', Pinky begs him not to kill him, saying he has "a girlfriend" and "a wife on the side".
* An inverted version in ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight'': BigBad Timoth is about to leave Charly and her daughter, Caitlin LockedInAFreezer. Charly tries to get him to spare [[spoiler:Caitlin by revealing that [[LukeYouAreMyFather he's her biological father]]. He takes a close look at Caitlin's face, shrugs and leaves anyway]].
* ''Film/HardcoreHenry''. When Akan is rampaging through the brothel, one of the customers begs for mercy, saying he has a family. Akan glances over at the prostitute he was with, mockingly asks, "Is that your wife?", and then kills the man on the spot.
* ''Film/{{Rampage|2009}}'':
** In the beauty salon scene, one of the employees tries to reason with Bill by mentioning that she's got a husband and two kids at home. It doesn't faze Bill for a second, and he does end up killing her.
** In the second film, Chip begs for mercy to Bill to forgive him for accidentally breaking the CD that contained Bill's message. When Bill lashes out, Chip pleads he has a wife and children to which Bill replies "I don't give a fuck!" before [[spoiler: handing him a back-up CD]].
* ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'': At least two of Steppenwolf's kidnapped scientists try this line. No luck; he kills the first one to use it and is just irritated by the second.
-->'''Scientist:''' Please, we have families!\\
'''Steppenwolf:''' ''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood [genuinely confused[=]=]]]'' Why does everyone keep telling me that?
* ''Film/DieHard''. Hans Gruber doesn't have to be told this because he already knows about his intended victim before he's even met him.
-->'''Gruber:''' Now... where is Mr Takagi?\\
''[no-one responds -- Gruber starts moving among the crowd of hostages, peering at each Japanese businessman]''\\
'''Gruber:''' [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Joseph Yashinobo Takagi]]. Born Kyoto, 1937... Family emigrated to San Pedro, California, 1939... Interned at Manzanar, 1942 to '43... Scholarship student, University of California..1955. Law degree, Stanford, 1962. MBA, Harvard, 1970. President, Nakatomi Trading. Vice Chairman, Nakatomi Investment Group--\\
'''Takagi:''' ''[stepping forward]'' Enough!\\
'''Gruber:''' And father... of five.
* ''Film/InAValleyOfViolence'' (2016). The protagonist is holding another man (Harris) at gunpoint.
-->'''Harris:''' I know there's [[AintTooProudToBeg not a lot of dignity in this]], but I have a daughter I'd like to see again. ''[no response]'' But I don't suppose that I will. ''[[[SoundOnlyDeath gunshot]]]''
* ''Film/{{Troy}}'': At the end, when the TrojanHorse ploy allows the Greeks to invade Troy, Achilles knocks down a random Trojan soldier. The soldier pleads for his life and says he has a son. Achilles lets him go and says, "Then get him out of Troy."
* In the climatic scene of ''Film/{{Seven}}'', John Doe actually brings this up for his WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied taunt. [[spoiler:Detective Mills had no idea that his wife was pregnant, so it's this news that finally causes him to kill John Doe.]]
* A variation in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', in that Roger Thornhill was not pleading for his life so much as expressing his disgust at being used as a chess piece by the Professor, and is thus more [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] than scared:
-->''"Now you listen to me, [[ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder I'm an advertising man, not a red herring.]] I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives, and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself ''slightly'' killed"''
* ''Film/{{Juncture}}'': Shaver begs to be spared by Anna when he's cornered, showing her photos of his kids in his wallet. It works-due to this, she can't kill him.
* ''Film/{{Circle}}'': The Rich Guy attempts to earn sympathy from the other characters by informing the group he has seven children. Many of the other characters accuse him of lying to buy himself time and mockingly claim to have even more children. [[spoiler:We don't find out whether the Rich Guy was telling the truth, but the eagerness with which he attempts to kill the Little Girl suggests that he was lying. It also turns out that another man and woman pretended to be husband and wife to buy some sympathy. But it does work to a certain extent--up until the two sides are established, people with children managed to last a bit longer than those who said they didn't have any.]]
* In ''Film/BloodyMama'', Herman asks their prisoner Sam if he's scared at all. Sam replies, "I have a wife, two sons, and a daughter, all of whom I love very much, so I'm not entirely without fear, no. More to the point, they need me." Unmoved, Herman replies, "Yeah, they'd better need you. $300,000 worth."
* In ''Film/TheInnocent1994'', Barlow shoves an orderly who he mistakenly thinks is a killer against a wall. The orderly protests, "I have a wife! And kids!"
* ''Film/VenomLetThereBeCarnage'': When [[SerialKiller Cletus]] first transforms into Carnage and tears his way out of San Quentin prison, one of the guards he grabs tries to beg for his life. Carnage actually pauses, but when the guard says "I have a family!" -- Cletus's family being his FreudianExcuse -- Carnage kills him especially slowly.
* ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven2016''. When an outlaw wanted for rape and murder tries this trope on Sam Chisolm, he retorts that his family are better off without him.
* In ''Film/TheStrawberryStatement'', a professor who supports the protesters pretends they're taking him hostage so he won't lose his job. He tells them, "I have kids!"
* In ''Film/TheCompanyYouKeep'', Nick brings up the fact he has a daughter as a way [[spoiler:to convince Mimi to turn herself in and clear him of any involvement in the robbery.]]
* In ''Film/TheBigHeat'', when Bannion is threatening Atkins, the owner of the garage where [[spoiler:the bomb that killed Bannion's wife was planted]], Atkins insists he won't talk because he has a wife he cares for (combining this with TheMobBossIsScarier).

* A villainish mook to the other mooks example arises in ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'':
-->'''Bladebeak:''' ''[about the forest]'' We're not going in there are we?\\
'''Mechanical Mook:''' ''[looks at him, holding him by the feet]'' Chicken.\\
'''Bladebeak:''' But I got a wife and three eggs at home.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'', when Lenny the vegetarian shark is pressured by his father, Don Lino, to eat a shrimp. The shrimp starts by crying that he has a family, then goes on to describe each and every one of his kids in excruciating detail as Lenny and Don Lino argue.
-->'''Shrimp:''' It's true, it's true! And the other thing is, my sister had a baby and I took it over after she passed away and the baby lost all its legs and arms and now it's just a stump but I take care of it with my wife and... and it's growing and it's fairly happy... and it's difficult because I'm working a second shift at the factory to put food on the table but all the love that I see in that little guy's face it makes it worth it in the end. True story.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'', Iago tries to convince Abu to open his cage by yelling, "I have a wife and three eggs! Imagine them hatching... never knowing their daddy..." He doesn't, really. Abu opens the cage to introduce Iago to Rajah the tiger. ([[AttackAttackRetreatRetreat "CLOSE THE CAGE! Close it! Close it! CLOSE IT!!!"]])

* One of the Imperial officers says this word for word in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' parody, ''[[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuyPresentsLaughItUpFuzzball It's A Trap!]]'', when Han orders the officers in the shield bunker to use their helmets to dig their own graves.
* Said in ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty'' as an Italian tomato is about to get sliced in half.
-->'''Tomato:''' PLEASE-A, NO! I'VE GOT A [[GratuitousItalian FAMIGLIA]]! ''[gets sliced]''
* [[spoiler:Mr. Bumblypants, a white rabbit puppet]] tries this line in ''Film/TheHappytimeMurders'' pleading that he has 48 kids.
* A pig police officer in ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat'' tries this on an angry mob of crows pulling out a picture of his kids. They do ''not'' give a fuck.

* Inverted nightmarishly in ''Film/Alien3''. At a moment of breakdown, Ripley [[spoiler:actually seeks the Alien and calls it out to kill her. The beast approaches, examines Ripley closely and then withdraws, not willing to hurt the "baby" Alien queen maturing inside Ripley.]]
* In ''Film/ReservoirDogs'', while Mr. Blonde is torturing the cop, the officer screams out, "Please! I got a little kid at home man, now please!" This line was actually ad-libbed by the actor, and the shock it brought to Michael Madsen (who played Mr. Blonde), who had just had a son, made him walk off the set. You can actually hear Madsen break character and say "Oh, no no no..." after this line.
* Spoofed in the 1999 production of ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'', when Rick threatens Beni:
-->'''Beni:''' Think of my children!\\
'''Rick:''' You don't ''have'' any children.\\
'''Beni:''' ... Someday I might.
* Subverted in the original ''[[Film/TotalRecall1990 Total Recall]]'' with Benny the cab driver, who keeps talking of his five children until he's revealed to be an agent of the BigBad.
-->'''Benny:''' I needed the money. I got four kids to feed.\\
'''Quaid:''' What happened to number five?\\
'''Benny:''' Aw, shit, man! You got me. I ain't even married. Now put your fuckin' hands in the air!

* Used in ''Film/TheHurtLocker'', when a man who's had a bomb strapped to him against his will asks for help from the American military to disarm it. They can't.

* To be spared from being shot to death on the [[RussianRoulette Carousel Trap]] in ''Film/SawVI'', both Emily and Shelby try this. Quite an inversion as the guy they're pleading for their lives to is not a villain and that one of them (Shelby) is blatantly lying, and unmasked by a fellow captive. Unfortunately a very nasty case of MenAreTheExpendableGender occurs and she survives ''anyway''.
* Played with in ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''. It's actually a Nazi soldier, Wilhelm, who survives a bloody shoot-out and makes a deal with the Basterds. He begs them to make a deal with him and end the bloodshed as his wife just had their first child. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
* In ''Film/{{Defiance}}'', the Jewish partisans capture a terrified Nazi soldier, who tells them he has a wife and two kids. One of the partisans yells out, "So did I!" They beat the Nazi to death while yelling about their lost relatives.
* "My wife is having a baby...!" is a last, desperate attempt by the titular [[DirtyCoward Withnail]] of ''Film/WithnailAndI'' to avoid a beating after he had run afoul of an Irishman. He was lying.
* In ''Film/TrainingDay'', when Jake is about to be murdered by drug dealers, he shouts in panic that he has a little girl. It doesn't work by itself, but it does motivate them to check out whether he's telling the truth about his ChekhovsGun.

* In a Film/TheThreeStooges short, a detective threatens to have them arrested for allowing a bank robber to escape.
-->'''Shemp:''' Please officer, I got six wives and two kids!
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Predators}}'', when [[spoiler: the Russian]] affectionately shows [[spoiler: the doctor]] a photo of his kids, just before all hell breaks loose, and they're all forced to flee while the latter still has the photo. When [[spoiler: the doctor]] is crippled and the other characters consider leaving him behind, he says "I've got kids" and shows the photo. While it's a lie, this looks like an understandable case of a terrified, desperate man trying anything to not be left behind, [[spoiler: but the discovery that he's actually a psychopathic serial killer makes it less surprising that he was able to think up this sort of lie on the spot and without any hint of unease.]]
* In ''Film/SophieSchollTheFinalDays'' a German film about the [[LaResistance White Rose antifascist group]], one of the arrested students, Christoph Probst, pleads for mercy from the court as he has three small children and an ill, pregnant wife. The Nazis don't care, and they have him guillotined the very same day.
* ''Film/ErnestScaredStupid'' does this when Ernest imitates a doll voice and wrestles with the dilemma of using a doll to stop the gears of a garbage masher.
-->'''Ernest:''' ''[as the doll]'' No, no, don't stick my head in those gears!\\
'''Ernest:''' ''[as himself]'' But it's either me or you.\\
'''Ernest:''' ''[as the doll]'' But I have a family in a doll house.\\
'''Ernest:''' ''[as himself; {{beat}}]'' I'll send them a nice photo.\\
'''Ernest:''' ''[as the doll]'' You can't get away with this, Ernest, [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive I know where you live!]]
* In ''Film/{{Monster}}'', one of Aileen's victims tearfully and desperately tries this as she holds him at gunpoint. It doesn't work.

* In ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen'', one character pleads with Ben Bradlee not to reveal that he had an affair with a ''Washington Post'' journalist, using the line, "I have a wife and two children and a dog and a cat!" A befuddled Bradlee explains that he doesn't care about the affair and they're not going to mention that -- they want him to comment on a scoop that he revealed to the journalist (while having an affair with her). Bob Woodward noted in the book that the line was lifted word-for-word from RealLife.

* ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'':
** ''ComicBook/AndersonPsiDivision'': Parodied when the Dark Judges rampage through a health resort. The obese patrons protest with "I have a family and three appetites to feed!"
** ''ComicBook/ButtonMan'': One Button Woman, Jackie, tries to use this excuse with Harry by showing him a picture of her children. It doesn't work.
* ''ComicBook/BatmanVSBigbyAWolfInGotham'': When Mr. Salinger is getting ready to kill Mr. Ostergard, the latter begs for his life, stating he has a family. When Mr. Salinger asks him if he has a will, Mr. Ostergard says yes. Mr. Salinger then assures him his family will be alright without him, and gets right back to work.
* ''ComicBook/TheSupermanAdventures'': Parodied in issue 35, where Vito Mannheim pleads that Toyman not kill him because he has three ex-wives and lots of children somewhere.
* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': The first victim of the titular antagonists in "Rise of the Third Army" pleads that he has children before he is assimilated.
* The eighth issue of the 1999 ''ComicBook/BatmanBeyond'' ongoing comic has a worker Vendetta intimidates beg that she not harm him because he has children.

* In volume 2, issue 31 of ''ComicBook/{{Titans|2010}}'', one of Osiris' victims begs to be spared because he has a family. Osiris kills him anyway due to refusing to yield from his belief that he can resurrect his sister by killing enough people.

* In one ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' strip, a man is about to step on an insect when the insect responds with this. It begs him to spare its life because "I have a wife and a thousand eggs laid in the jelly!" The man is eating a peanut butter and ''jelly'' sandwich.
* In one ''ComicStrip/{{BC}}'' Thanksgiving strip, a turkey pleads to BC that he has a wife and six children ... and therefore [[AwfulWeddedLife wants to be eaten]].

* Subverted in the ''Anime/Golgo13: Queen Bee'' OVA. Antonia gives his life in a HeroicSacrifice so Queen Bee and her men can escape an FBI ambush. Later she's presented with the informer who betrayed them.
-->'''Queen Bee:''' You have any kids?\\
'''Informant:''' I got a boy almost four, and a new baby girl.\\
'''Queen Bee:''' Do you love them?\\
'''Informant:''' Yes, of course I do!\\
'''Queen Bee:''' I don't think Antonia loved his. ''[shoots him]''
* In the first chapter of ''Manga/DanceInTheVampireBund 2: Scarlet Order'' one of the terrorists that had, at ''best'', proved perfectly willing to hold 100,000 humans hostage with poison gas to capture [[VampireMonarch Mina Tepes]][[note]](he made no protest when the ringleader elected to unleash the Sarin in the hopes of starting another human / vampire war)[[/note]] invoked his wife and kids when he found out that the stadium instead contained nothing but vampires. Mina's response?
-->"I see... then to ensure that those children have a positive future as well-adjusted adults, it would be best to remove you as an influence on their lives."

* Used quite brutally in ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen''. The X-Men had been captured by Weapon X and were being forced to work for them to take out some foreign guys who had captured Nick Fury and were in the middle of illegal genetic experiments. When confronting the lead scientist, Jean is ordered to kill him or watch Scott's head explode. As she agonizes over the decision, the lead scientist starts describing his family in an attempt to bargain for his life. [[spoiler:Jean kills him.]]
* In a bit of a subversion, in ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'', a guy pleads with Midnighter that he has kids, "somewhere." The implication is, as secret mutant soldier, that he's lead a promiscuous and nomadic life, probably leaving litters of illegitimate children behind. Midnighter responds by ''punching his head off'' and stating that they're better off without him.
* The line above comes from an eighties ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' storyline entitled "Dark Knight, Dark City," where The Riddler (turned AxCrazy via DemonicPossession) lampshades this line.

* In ''ComicBook/SecretSix'', Jeanette has caught [[Characters/TeenTitansCheshire Cheshire]] poisoning the title characters, and dangles her off the roof of a building by her hair while chiding her about "manners." Cheshire tries to get out by talking about her baby, but Jeanette doesn't give two shits, and while she doesn't drop her, doesn't let her off easy. It's unlikely [[TheSociopath Cheshire]] cares either, except as leverage in situations like this.
* ''ComicBook/PrinceOfPersiaTheGraphicNovel'':
-->'''Shirin's mother:''' Please, let him go. He's a father. We have a daughter.\\
'''Shirin:''' ''[not letting go of the garrote]'' Yes, I know, Mother.\\
''[her mother faints]''
* In ''ComicBook/SpiderManIndia2004'', when Spider-Man confronts the robber who killed Uncle Bhim, the man stutters. "Please ... I have a family to feed." Pavitr replies "So did he."
* In an ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}'' comic taking place in an alternate universe, a woman runs into a [[BatOutOfHell more monstrous]] version of ComicBook/{{Morbius}} on the street and pleads with him, saying she has a son. Morbius replies the child is very likely dead, and before he bites into her tells her she should have been at home spawning her next brat.

* ''ComicBook/AmalgamUniverse'': Parodied in ''Lobo the Duck'', where a RedShirt with MediumAwareness pleads that he ''might'' have a wife and kids just before he gets a flamethrower to his face.

* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''. In "Gir Goes Crazy And Stuff," Zim is about to erase a police officer's memories. The man pulls out his wallet to show Zim the photos therein, lamenting "Please! I have a house and children and pets and a toilet... and [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs toilet children]]"

* ''ComicBook/AmalgamUniverse'': Parodied in ''Lobo the Duck'', where a self-aware RedShirt pleads that he ''might'' have a wife and kids just before he gets a flamethrower to his face.

* In volume 2, issue 31 of ''[[ComicBook/TeenTitans Titans]]'', one of Osiris' victims begs to be spared because he has a family. Osiris kills him anyway due to refusing to yield from his belief that he can resurrect his sister by killing enough people.

* ''ComicBook/TheSupermanAdventures'': Issue 35 has Vito Mannheim plead that Toyman not kill him because he has three ex-wives and lots of children somewhere.

Someone is caught by the villain. That someone is being (or is about to be) tortured, or killed. For some reason, while begging/negotiating, said captive may feel the need to inform his tormentor that he has a family. No one really knows why, since this revelation never leads to release or sympathy. The idea seems to be that the victim hopes that his or her captor is not too dark of an AntiHero -- or at least a NobleDemon -- to hurt the innocent and helpless. Even by proxy. It is common for the villain then to respond that [[LackOfEmpathy he doesn't care]] or a BigShutUp or that [[AndYourLittleDogToo he'll even kill their family next]] just cause said victim brought them up.

Other variation of this is that the bad guy or {{Mook}}s use this card when defeated in the battle and pleading for their lives. This can be either a trick [[CombatPragmatist to have a cheap attack when the Hero lets his/her guard down]] or it can lead to HeelFaceTurn if TheHero spares the poor mook's life, since EvenEvilHasLovedOnes. Also may be a reason why the hero ends up SparingTheFinalMook.

* Wrestling/HeathSlater's CatchPhrase was "I got kids! I need this job!" He once used this when he challenged Wrestling/BrockLesnar, who... seemed sympathetic, as he also has kids. But then, when Heath got in the ring with him, Lesnar told him, [[LackOfEmpathy "I don't give a ]][[PrecisionFStrike shit]] [[LackOfEmpathy about your kids."]]

* In ''Film/TheBigHeat'', when Bannion is threatening Atkins, the owner of the garage where [[spoiler:the bomb that killed Bannion's wife was planted]], Atkins insists he won't talk because he has a wife he cares for (combining this with TheMobBossIsScarier]].

* In ''Film/TheCompanyWeKeep'', Nick brings up the fact he has a daughter as a way [[spoiler:to convince Mimi to turn herself in and clear him of any involvement in the robbery.]]

* In ''Film/SophieSchollTheFinalDays'' a German film about the [[LaResistance White Rose antifascist group]], one of the arrested students, Christoph Probst, pleads for mercy from the court as he has three small children and an ill, pregnant wife. [[spoiler: He is executed by guillotine the same day.]]

* Vernita Green tries to use this in the first part of ''Film/KillBill'' to dissuade The Bride from killing her. This was the worst possible strategy Vernita could have tried on The Bride, seeing as how she had tried to kill her while she was ''pregnant''. The Bride calls her on this, and states that if she ''really'' wanted to get even, she would kill Nicky and Vernita's husband as well.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Garfield in the Rough]]'', Garfield thinks he's being approached by a predator when he encounters Billy Rabbit. One of the things he says in hopes that it will convince the predator to spare him is lying that he has a wife and nine kids.

* An inadvertent version in ''Hit List'' by Creator/LawrenceBlock. [[ProfessionalKiller Keller]] isn't pleased to be handed a photograph of his target, only to find it's a posed family photo, which even includes the dog. It puts him off his game slightly, but not enough to save the target.