History Main / MurderByInaction

* In ''LetsPlay/{{Dream}}'''s "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7t5B69G0Dw Minecraft Speedrunner VS 3 Hunters Finale Rematch]]", the Hunters are in the Nether fortress and Dream is chasing Sapnap, when all of a sudden Sapnap gets stuck fighting two wither skeletons while cornered. Dream just watches this happen as Sapnap begs him for help.

Compare DoWithHimAsYouWill, MakeItLookLikeAnAccident, NeverSuicide, and ThrowEmToTheWolves. Contrast AccidentalMurder and SaveTheVillain. If the victim is murdered actively by a character and another character does not intervene, it's a case of AccompliceByInaction or BetrayalByInaction depending on the case. Contrast/Compare FailureToSaveMurder where someone is held responsible for a death because they ''tried and failed'' to prevent it, IndirectSerialKiller where a murderer kills multiple people indirectly, LethalNegligence, where a character kills people via negligence, and BystanderSyndrome when people in general don't help the victim. Is often the FaceHeelTurn for a character. Most of the time it is not a MoralEventHorizon however unless the perpetrator contributes actively enough into this to be considered indirectly culpable. This is often a favored tactic of the TechnicalPacifist. Contrast SaveTheJerk, where the hero might not like the person, but still goes out of their way to save them.

!!As a DeathTrope, all spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.

* This is revealed to be Steele's ultimate goal near the end of ''{{WesternAnimation/Balto}}'', where he plans on killing not just Balto and his sled team, but also ''everyone'' in Nome, all out of spite due to his hatred against the title sled dog, by deliberately sabotaging the former's journey to Nome to deliver the medicine that will save everyone from a deadly disease, and then heading off to Nome alone and making it look like it was just a tragedy so that Steele can trick everyone into gaining his trust. However, thanks to the help of [[spoiler: [[WhiteWolvesareSpecial the White Wolf]]]], Balto and his team were able to successfully get the medicine to Nome in time, and as a result everyone the moment they see Balto and team alive and well immediately learn of Steele's treachery, causing them all to turn against Steele and start treating him like an outcast instead.

* This is revealed to be Steele's ultimate goal near the end of ''{{WesternAnimation/Balto}}'', where he plans on killing not just Balto and his sled team, but also ''everyone'' in Nome, all out of spite due to his hatred against the title sled dog, by deliberately sabotaging the former's journey to Nome to deliver the medicine that will save everyone from a deadly disease, and then heading off to Nome alone and making it look like it was just a tragedy so that Steele can trick everyone into gaining his trust. However, thanks to the help of [[spoiler: [[WhiteWolvesareSpecial the White Wolf]]]], Balto and his team were able to successfully get the medicine to Nome in time, and as a result everyone the moment they see Balto and team alive and well immediately learn of Steele's treachery, causing them all to turn against Steele and treat him like an outcast instead.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''LetsPlay/{{Dream}}'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7t5B69G0Dw Minecraft Speedrunner VS 3 Hunters Finale Rematch,]] the Hunters are in the Nether fortress and Dream is chasing Sapnap, when all of a sudden Sapnap gets stuck fighting two wither skeletons while cornered. Dream just watches this happen as Sapnap begs him for help.
* In the ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'', during the Red Banquet, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Quackity]] didn't save Foolish from being executed by the Eggpire because he wanted to recruit Foolish to join Las Nevadas and "teach" [[FormerTeenRebel him]] to embrace violence again, though this isn't revealed until ''after'' the incident. Foolish [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out on this]] when he learns about it.
-->'''Foolish:''' You threw away my life for some kind of [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] sales pitch?!
[[/folder]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': In ''ComicBook/LetMyPeopleGrow'', ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} gets accidentally hit by his size-changing ray and is shrinking rapidly and uncontrollably. He begs ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} to save him, but [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pScx8BN4h3s/SQcs5LyKRiI/AAAAAAAABds/PkQTfwvrabE/s1600-h/superman+338+-08.jpg she refuses to]]: her enlarging ray has only two shots left, which she plans to use on her cousin and the Bottle City of Kandor, and she is NOT wasting energy on him. Even Superman pleads with her, [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pScx8BN4h3s/SQcsz6v8owI/AAAAAAAABdk/GD76xYl-w1g/s1600-h/superman+338+-09.jpg but Kara doesn't cave in]], and lets Brainiac disappear. Reviewed [[http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com.es/2008/10/it-came-from-back-issue-box-superman.html here]].

* In the ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'', during the Red Banquet, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Quackity]] didn't save Foolish from being executed by the Eggpire because he wanted to recruit Foolish to join Las Nevadas and "teach" [[FormerTeenRebel him]] to embrace violence again, though this isn't revealed until ''after'' the incident. Foolish [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out on this]] when he learns about it.

Compare DoWithHimAsYouWill, MakeItLookLikeAnAccident, NeverSuicide, ThrowEmToTheWolves, and TrolleyProblem. Contrast AccidentalMurder and SaveTheVillain. If the victim is murdered actively by a character and another character does not intervene, it's a case of AccompliceByInaction or BetrayalByInaction depending on the case. Contrast/Compare FailureToSaveMurder where someone is held responsible for a death because they ''tried and failed'' to prevent it, IndirectSerialKiller where a murderer kills multiple people indirectly, LethalNegligence, where a character kills people via negligence, and BystanderSyndrome when people in general don't help the victim. Is often the FaceHeelTurn for a character. Most of the time it is not a MoralEventHorizon however unless the perpetrator contributes actively enough into this to be considered indirectly culpable. This is often a favored tactic of the TechnicalPacifist. Contrast SaveTheJerk, where the hero might not like the person, but still goes out of their way to save them.

Compare DoWithHimAsYouWill, MakeItLookLikeAnAccident, NeverSuicide, and ThrowEmToTheWolves. Contrast AccidentalMurder and SaveTheVillain. If the victim is murdered actively by a character and another character does not intervene, it's a case of AccompliceByInaction or BetrayalByInaction depending on the case. Contrast/Compare FailureToSaveMurder where someone is held responsible for a death because they ''tried and failed'' to prevent it, IndirectSerialKiller where a murderer kills multiple people indirectly, LethalNegligence, where a character kills people via negligence, and BystanderSyndrome when people in general don't help the victim. Is often the FaceHeelTurn for a character. Most of the time it is not a MoralEventHorizon however unless the perpetrator contributes actively enough into this to be considered indirectly culpable. This is often a favored tactic of the TechnicalPacifist. Contrast SaveTheJerk, where the hero might not like the person, but still goes out of their way to save them.

* ''Film/{{Aquaman}}'': The title character leaves Jesse Kane to his death, despite the pleas of his son David. Given that Jesse responded to Aquaman's offer of mercy with an attempted backstab, he is right to give up on him. Unfortunately David Kane survives the ordeal and becomes the infamous Black Manta.

* ''Film/KissOfTheDamned'': Irene, the vampires' servant, comes across Maia crawling toward the house to get in from the sunlight. She ignores Maia's pleas that she help, lighting a cigarette from her burning body and watching her die. As Maia is a {{serial killer}}, it's [[AssholeVictim hard to care though]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'' shows that this is considered a policy among the [[AllianceOfAlternates Spider Society]] due to Miguel O'Hara's belief in the "[[TheStationsOfTheCanon Canon Event]]" theory in that certain events crucial to Spideys must be allowed to play out, including [[ILetGwenStacyDie deaths meant to give emotional burden]] lest it results in said universe falling apart, meaning that certain individuals (specifically cops such as Captain Stacy and other equivalents) are DoomedByCanon and their deaths must not be averted. Miles learns that [[spoiler:by that logic, his father's death is considered a Canon Event and thus seeks a way to avert his fate thus bringing him into conflict with Miguel]].