History Main / RestrictedRescueOperation

* ''Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K'': While planning their counter-invasion of the Imperial-occupied Core World of Axum, the Jedi learn from a spy that the [[AbsoluteXenophobe Imperium]] has been using hundreds of death camps spread all over the planet to genocide the visibly non-human civilians. Ahsoka is outraged by this and advocates for liberating these camps as soon as possible. However, Mace Windu disagrees, explaining that the Jedi need to first prioritize neutralizing the Imperial occupation's commanders and strongholds before they can even think about freeing the camps, which he labels a secondary objective. This leaves Ahsoka feeling bitter as she points out that putting off the death camps for later will result in more innocent prisoners dying what she considers entirely preventable deaths.

--> '''Randall''': There will come a time when you might have to decide who lives and dies out there. It's a terrible responsibility, but it is one you will have to make as a rescue swimmer.

--> '''Vir''': They were females and children, some of the local leaders, the ones who kept their language and their beliefs. Most of them were injured from us bombing their world and sending them to forced labor camps. They weren't getting proper treatment. If I hadn't gotten them out they would've died.

* In ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' Jackson [[spoiler: is held at gunpoint during the hospital shooting and told not to save Derek Shepherd. He seems to play by the shooter's rules at first, letting Derek flatline and even telling the others to hold their hands up. Once the shooter leaves, however, he reveals he had only disconnected the machine and gets right back to work.]]

* ''Film/BehindEnemyLines'' has Admiral Piquet shut down Admiral Reigart's first attempt to rescue Burnett, who can't be extracted from the demilitarized zone he was shot down in without starting an international incident. Later, he aborts another rescue attempt when the Serbs present what appears to be Burnett's corpse to the media ([[{{Irony}} he does this just as the real Burnett is about to reach the extraction point]]). When Burnett activates the rescue beacon on his jet seat, notifying his carrier group that he still alive and giving away his position to the Serbs hunting him, Reigart decides to [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight screw the rules]] and [[ItsPersonal personally]] leads a task force to rescue Burnett. He is later relieved of command for his trouble, so Reigart decides to retire.

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs Warhammer 40K]]'': While planning their counter-invasion of the Imperial-occupied Core World of Axum, the Jedi learn from a spy that the [[AbsoluteXenophobe Imperium]] has been using hundreds of death camps spread all over the planet to genocide the visibly non-human civilians. Ahsoka is outraged by this and advocates for liberating these camps as soon as possible. However, Mace Windu disagrees, explaining that the Jedi need to first prioritize neutralizing the Imperial occupation's commanders and strongholds before they can even think about freeing the camps, which he labels a secondary objective. This leaves Ahsoka feeling bitter as she points out that putting off the death camps for later will result in more innocent prisoners dying what she considers entirely preventable deaths.

[[folder:Film — Animation]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

--> '''Wallenberg''': I'm sorry. I can take only so many, so I must take the young. Forgive me.

[[folder:Western Animation]]

* The plot of ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' is driven by the supers being forced underground and forbidden from using their powers to help people. Notably there's a scene in which Mr Incredible/Bob Parr's boss threatens to fire him if he leaves to help a man who's being robbed. In that scene he was already in trouble for teaching his customers to "penetrate the bureaucracy" of the insurance company he was working for.

* In ''Fanfic/TheWeaverOption'', the invasion of [[spoiler:Commorragh]] gives the Imperial forces a chance to rescue literally billions of enslaved humans and xenos. However, the Imperium can't maintain its foothold indefinitely due to [[spoiler:the Dark City's planned destruction]] so only the slaves they can evacuate will be freed. This limits the rescued to only a fraction of the total slave population, as the Imperial forces present lack the room and supplies to accomadate more. The remaining slaves are given weapons so they can at least die killing their former masters and those who survive the battle are [[spoiler:given a quick death via nuclear bombardment to spare them from the Slaaneshi daemons]].

* In ''Fanfic/TheWeaverOption'', the invasion of [[spoiler:Commorragh]] gives the Imperial forces a chance to rescue literally billions of enslaved humans and xenos. However, the Imperium can't maintain its foothold indefinitely due to [[spoiler:the Dark City's planned destruction]] so only the slaves they can evacuate will be freed. This limits the rescued to only a fraction of the total slave population, as the Imperial forces present lack the room and supplies to accomadate more. The remaining slaves are given weapons so they can at least die killing their former masters and those who survive the battle are [[spoiler:given a quick death via nuclear bombardment to spare them from the Slaaenshi daemons]].

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Because only licensed heroes are allowed to use quirks to take down criminals, the students of Class 1-A struggled when a fellow classmate was endangered, for the very real fear that they'd be expelled or arrested, and never become professional heroes. This severely limited the (explicitly unsanctioned) mission to rescue Bakugo, as a majority of the class didn't even want to go, and the ones that went did whatever it took to stay within the law.

* ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' runs on this trope, as the titular craft are designed specifically for rescue. Despite really specific equipment, expect a lot to go wrong, forcing [[TakeAThirdOption an out-of-the-box solutions]]. Also, International Rescue must operate under strict secrecy, as they do not wish their technology to fall into the wrong hands.