History Main / MurderByInaction

* The novel ''Itachi Shinden: Book of Dark Night'' of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' reveals that this was how Shisui Uchiha gained the Mangekyou Sharingan. He was on a mission with a close friend, who fell behind fighting the enemy forces. Shisui was jealous of said friend's talents and intentionally decided not to help him, resulting in his death.[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone The guilt of realizing what he'd done]] [[TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening was what awakened the Mangekyou in him.]]
* Discussed heavily towards the end of ''Anime/{{Trigun}}'' as part of its deconstruction of ThouShaltNotKill. [[TheDragon Legato]] points out to Vash that [[TheFettered by his unflinching refusal to kill anyone, no matter how evil or dangerous]], he is in fact responsible for the deaths they caused. He ultimately makes his point in an inversion of this trope, forcing Vash to actively kill him in order to save someone else.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': In ''Superman (Volume 1) #338: Let My People Grow!'', 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 ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'', Catwoman once deliberately refused to rescue Black Mask from falling to his death from a penthouse. Since Black Mask had spent the last several issues doing horrible things to her friends and relatives and had just tried to torture her to death, this could probably be forgiven. Unfortunately it [[JokerImmunity didn't work]].

* Zira accuses Kovu of this when Nuka dies in the attack on Simba in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing2SimbasPride.''. Kovu was supposed to kill Simba but refused and Nuka ran up the hill after Simba and got crushed by falling logs.
-->'''Zira''': What were you doing?
-->'''Kovu:''': I did nothing!
-->'''Zira''': Exactly. And by doing so, you betrayed your pride. Betrayed Scar!
-->'''Kovu''': I want nothing more to do with him!
-->'''Zira''': You cannot escape it! Nuka is dead because of you! You killed your own brother!

* During the Normandy assault on ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', a soldier gets behind the German bunker and sets it ablaze with his flamethrower. One of the soldiers on the beach sees the Germans jumping off the side of the bunker on fire and orders the others not to shoot, but "let them burn".

* In ''Literature/DreamPark'', a security guard with a cold is knocked out, tied up, and gagged. He is later found dead of asphyxiation, and it is believed that his running nose killed him. [[spoiler:Subverted when he was murdered by a person he was blackmailing, who just had to pinch his nose shut long enough for him to suffocate.]]

* ''Series/WhyWomenKill'': After finding out that her husband Rob [[spoiler:caused their daughter to be killed and lied to her about it for years]] in addition to cheating on her and [[spoiler:planning to leave her]], Beth Ann creates a plan to murder him and help her friend Mary be rid of her [[DomesticAbuse abusive husband]] Ralph at the same time. [[spoiler:They make it look like Rob and Mary have been having an affair and plan to elope. A furiously jealous Ralph arrives at the house and fights Rob, gun in hand. Beth Ann throws Rob his own gun, but when he tries to shoot Ralph in self-defense, he finds it empty. Cut to the bullets stored away in Beth Ann’s drawer. Ralph shoots Rob, who dies, but not before Beth Ann whispers to him that she knows the role he played in their daughter’s death.]]

* ''VideoGame/Vampyr2018'': The player can opt for [[PlayerCharacter Jonathan]] to do this when he finds out that [[spoiler:Dr. Swansea was responsible for the Skal epidemic in London]]. Considering the latter was mortally injured, Jonathan can leave him to die because of [[MoralEventHorizon the severity of his act]], straight up drain him or turn him into a vampire as a CruelMercy. Keep in mind the first one keeps your [[PacifistRun "Not Even Once"]] run clean, but allows the district to fall into chaos, the second one gives you extra XP on top of ruining your run ''and'' the district, and the third one preserves your run, the district albeit at a huge cost of your XP, but backfires [[spoiler:because Swansea regards his [[CursedWithAwesome new condition as a blessing]] and now the district is at the hands of a vampire MadScientist]]. So basically, [[MortonsFork there is no good option]].

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': When [[spoiler:the FauxAffablyEvil Thieves Guild leader Bozzok is being [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge beaten to death]] in front of Grubwiggler, one of the people he's [[ProtectionRacket extorting for protection money]],]] he gets a very clear explanation of why no help will be forthcoming:
-->'''Grubwiggler:''' [[spoiler:I'm sick of your banal little guild's petty intrigues interfering in my magical research. All I want is to be left alone, and I suspect your eventual successor will be more willing to accommodate that desire. ...Farewell, Bozzok. You were never as clever as you thought you were. ''[Teleports away, leaving Bozzok behind]'']]

** Kyoshi’s friend Yun got killed in her [[Literature/TheRiseOfKyoshi tie-in novel]] by his [[DishingOutDirt earthbending]] teacher, Jianzhu, in the same manner. Yun was believed to be the Avatar, so Jianzhu offered them both up to a spirit to see who it truly was. He chose to save Kyoshi once it was confirmed that she was the real Avatar but left Yun to be taken by the spirit, fully expecting it to kill him. [[spoiler: Yun ambiguously CameBackWrong at the climax, just to return the favor, a lot more directly]].

** In "Twilight", {{ComicBook/Darkseid}} shows up in the Watchtower and asks for the League's help since Brainiac is attacking Apokolips. Superman, having suffered a lot at Darkseid's hands and expecting [[TheFarmerAndTheViper that Darkseid has an ulterior motive]], only says, "[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness Good.]]" [[spoiler:Superman turns out to be right.]]

* A popular UrbanLegend surrounds the Music/PhilCollins song "In The Air Tonight". The legend usually involves someone watching someone else drown and being unwilling to help along with several other variations. In actuality, the song was about a divorce.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan2099'': In Miguel's first encounter with the 2099 version of the Vulture, the Vulture's wings had failed and he was plummeting towards the pavement. Miguel prepared to shoot a webline catch him...then decided not to. This was the first of many scenes wherein it was made clear that this Spider-Man is ''not'' your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

* An episode of ''Anime/HellGirl'' shows Leon Yamada. He is a special example of a [[BarbaricBully Barbaric Bully]] because he beats weaker classmates and robs them. He also attacks and injures adults. Besides, he has joined a criminal gang and tries to run over a puppy. When he makes an accident with his scooter, the three teenagers who are his most frequent victims see it. They go to him, but leave him lying without helping him, [[AssholeVictim so that he will die as a result of the traffic accident]].
* Three evil adventurers in ''LightNovel/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon'' try to do with Liliruca. They belong to the same ''familia'', and have mistreated the young girl for years. Eventually, they leave her as ''bait'' for monster ants while [[DirtyCoward fleeing themselves]]. But Bell can save her. And shortly thereafter, [[AssholeVictim these three adventurers are killed by a]] [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]].
* At the very end of ''Anime/NowAndThenHereAndThere'', [[NumberTwo Abelia]] watches while King Hamdo's palace is flooded and he drowns. In this case, it's half this trope half TheDogBitesBack since Hamdo certainly [[AssholeVictim had it coming]], but Abelia's face makes it clear she's still rather conflicted over it.
* In ''Manga/{{Yuureitou}}'', this turns out to be the real way Tetsuo's adoptive mother died: she was tied to the clock tower by a killer after the treasure within, but since [[TheDogBitesBack she'd abused Tetsuo for his transgender identity as a child]] (including leaving ''him'' to die in the trap-filled labyrinth beneath the tower until he pretended to cry 'like a real girl'), he simply stood and watched. Tetsuo himself makes no attempt to claim it wasn't murder, telling the cops he'd killed her and using it as a reason that Amano shouldn't be his friend.
* What primarily leads to [[AssholeVictim Erya Uzruth]]'s death in ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'', even if Hamsuke was the one who dealt the [[MercyKill death blow]]. Did he really expect his [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil elf maidens]] to use their magical powers to save him when he was so clearly outmatched?

* ''VideoGame/GhostRecon'''': Future Soldier'': The Ghost team deployed in Russia was about to take out the leader of the coup in Moscow when they were ordered by the US government to take him in alive. Ghost Leader is pissed off at this, but doesn't do anything to help the coup leader escape from being killed by an incoming train since he said "[[ExactWords our orders were not to touch you.]]"

-->'''Eric''': I don't know what [the cure for cancer] is, but I know it's not killing and torturing people for your own sick fucking pleasure.

* In the young adult novel ''Twins'' by Caroline R. Cooney, Mary Lee discovers that her twin sister Madrigal and her boyfriend had a bonding moment when they stood together on the shores of a lake and watched a man drown.

** [[AmbiguousSituation General consensus]] is that Batman kills the Joker after the events of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity. Granted, Batman was stabbed in the shoulder by the Joker, causing him to drop the only cure to the Joker's sickness, but random chatter in the post-game of ''City'' and throughout ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' make it clear that nobody sees much of a difference.

* In ''Literature/DreamPark'', a security guard with a cold is knocked out, tied up, and gagged. He is later found dead of asphyxiation, and it is believed that his running nose killed him. [[spoiler: Subverted when he was murdered by a person he was blackmailing, who just had to pinch his nose shut long enough for him to suffocate.]]

* In the ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'', during the Red Banquet, [[spoiler: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.]] Foolish [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out on this]] when he learns about it.
-->'''Foolish:''' [[spoiler:You threw away my life for some kind of [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] sales pitch?!]]

* 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.

-->'''Kirito:''' (''thinking'') This is it... this is the icing on my cake! A lifetime of physical and psychological abuse, brought to a swift and satisfying end! All I have to do... is nothing! I mean, [[TooDumbToLive this is just Darwinism at work!]] As long as I don't hand her this lifesaving juice ''[[ChronicHeroSyndrome that I am currently handing her]] [[BigNo NOOOOOOOOO!!]]''

* In ''[[LetsPlay/{{Dream}} 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 general, this is one of the major criticisms of modern superhero comics, since a combination of ThouShaltNotKill, JokerImmunity, CardboardPrison and DarkerAndEdgier or BloodierAndGorier leads to heroes letting horrible monsters like the Joker, Carnage or the Red Skull live no matter how many people they murder. No amount of moralising or claiming IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim will make up for the fact that the more monstrous villains will just keep on murdering dozens or hundreds or thousands of innocent people, but [[KarmaHoudini they'll never actually pay for their crimes in any meaningful way.]]

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': When the FauxAffablyEvil Thieves Guild leader Bozzok is being [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge beaten to death]] in front of Grubwiggler, one of the people he's [[ProtectionRacket extorting for protection money]], he gets a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0980.html very clear]] explanation of why no help will be forthcoming:
-->'''Grubwiggler:''' I'm sick of your banal little guild's petty intrigues interfering in my magical research. All I want is to be left alone, and I suspect your eventual successor will be more willing to accommodate that desire. ...Farewell, Bozzok. You were never as clever as you thought you were. ''[Teleports away, leaving Bozzok behind]''

* In ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'', Catwoman once deliberately refused to rescue Black Mask from falling to his death from a penthouse. Since Black Mask had spent the last several issues doing [[{{Gorn}} unbelievably horrible things]] to her friends and relatives and had just tried to torture her to death, this could probably be forgiven. Unfortunately it [[JokerImmunity didn't work]].

* ''Film/{{Sabretooth}}:''

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'':
** [[AmbiguousSituation General consensus]] is that Batman kills the Joker after the events of the game. Granted, Batman was stabbed in the shoulder by the Joker, causing him to drop the only cure to the Joker's sickness, but random chatter in the post-game of ''City'' and throughout ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' make it clear that nobody sees much of a difference.

* ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'': It's eventually revealed in Season 6 that not only did Bojack wait ''seventeen minutes'' to call 911 when he discovered Sarah Lynn was dying from a heroin overdose at the planetarium in order to create an alibi for himself and make sure the police didn't discover he was the one who gave her the heroin in the first place, but that she didn't actually die until after EMS arrived and tried to save her. There's no way to know for sure whether immediately calling for help would have made a difference, but once a couple of reporters discover the incident and make it public, almost everybody, including many of Bojack's close friends and family, considers this trope to be in effect. He manages to avoid serious legal ramifications for ''that'' (the worst that happens on that front is that Sarah Lynn's parents sue him for his involvement in her death and he has to give them 5 million dollars for the settlement), but [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating he becomes a pariah in Hollywood and among the public at large]] as they're [[EveryoneHasStandards all disgusted]] that he was willing to let somebody die to save his own ass. Even his friends (except for [[UndyingLoyalty Mr. Peanutbutter]]) keep their distance from him, and [[spoiler: Hollyhock cuts him out of her life in response to what happened]].

* ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'': A variant in that it happens after the villain has passed away. After Lex Luthor has just died, Supergirl recalls she managed to bring him BackFromTheDead once. For a brief second, she considers to attempt to revive him... and then she decides against it because Luthor squandered his second chance with his many attempts on her loved ones' lives.