History Main / ToWinWithoutFighting

* In ''Series/CobraKai'', Terry Silver plans to do this to Daniel, just like he did in ''Film/TheKarateKidPartIII'', where he relied on his goon Mike Barnes to do the fighting while he used manipulation. He intends to just simply and persistently ''fuck'' with the guy non-violently as much as humanly possible to drive him completely and utterly mad, and tends to do so in ways that drive Daniel to paranoid extremes or retaliation which [[CrimeOfSelfDefense make Daniel look like the bad guy]]. It's not that he won't fight, and he even savagely beats Daniel at one point, but he makes it very clear he intends to [[DespairEventHorizon destroy Daniel's entire life and legacy non-violently]] and ''then'' use violence to finish him off. Even ''Amanda'' ends up effectively turning on Daniel at one point because of this, thinking he's just being a paranoid kook who can't let a decades-old grudge go. It's not until Jessica Andrews comes back, is ''horrified'' to learn Silver is back, and explains to Amanda that Daniel has every valid reason in the world to be terrified of a manipulative sociopath like Silver:
--> '''Jessica:''' (Chokes) [[OhCrap Terry Silver is back?!]] When I met Daniel, he was going through some things, and Silver was the cause. I never thought he would come back. By the time you were moving to LA and I put you in touch with Daniel, he was way past all of that. Silver did a real number on Daniel back then. He pretended to be his friend. Then his mentor. While his goons wrecked his Bonsai shop, beat him up. They assaulted me. They terrorized Daniel at every opportunity. All to drive a wedge between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. And it worked. At least for a while. Daniel has every reason to hate Terry Silver after what he put him through. I still have nightmares myself sometimes.
--> '''Amanda:''' [[HeelRealization So you're saying I should cut him some slack?]]
--> '''Jessica:''' [[ProperlyParanoid Yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying.]]

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': A crossover with [[ComicBook/{{FantasticFour}} the Human Torch]] set during their earlier years of heroics showed Spidey's first encounter with one of the latter's villains. As soon as [[AtrociousAlias Paste-Pot Pete]] announced his name, Spidey fell over in laughter, and spend the next two pages relentlessly mocking him for it. Eventually, the embarrassed villain just gave up and left, resolving to change his supervillain name (which he did, to the slightly more dignified Trapster).

* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'', [[BadassPacifist Thors]] defines being a "true warrior" as being this. Having grown sick of violence and [[ActualPacifist renouncing it altogether]], his son Thorfinn eventually strives to become like his father.

** OlderThanPrint: the Condottiere warfare in Medieval Italy was one of manoeuvre and indirect warfare. The object was to out-manouevre the enemy into a hopeless position where he would lose certainly if he'd risk a battle. This has often been interpreted as cowardice, but [[CombatPragmatist in reality it was combat pragmatism]] as often the armies were made up by mercenary companies who wanted as few casualties as possible. When the condottieri faced themselves in an open battle, the battles tended to be extremely bloody.

* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'': This is how Linkara [[spoiler: defeats [[EldrtichAbomination the Entity]] the second time around. At the climax of the Sleepwalker Arc, he eventually realized that the "game" the Entity had been playing the entire arc wasn't to ''win'' - it was just something to ''do''. The first time they fought, Linkara defeated the Entity by making it realize its own existence was meaningless and the goal it had been pursuing was a dead end. Thus, it made fighting against ''him'' its sole purpose. Once Linkara realizes this, he simply ''quits'', and refuses to keep playing along. Robbed of its last semblance of purpose, the Entity [[AlasPoorVillain sadly submits to quietly fading from existence]]]].

* Though it doesn't work, [[UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat Rider]] from ''LightNovel/FateZero'' tries this in the Grail War. He makes offers to the other Servants to join his army of world conquest, with no takers, and suggests that they simply debate and decide who deserves the Grail more that way.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'', TheHero and [[MaouTheDemonKing Demon]] [[SheIsTheKing King]] actively try to avoid battles and fighting whenever possible, as they are trying to end a war in such a way that all the factions win. They have limited success because of their opponents being {{Proud Warrior Race}}s or ruthless generals with WeHaveReserves-like mindsets, but they still have their bloodless victories, as when Hero managed to free Gateway City without a single casualty. In fact, The Hero initially has quite a bit of {{Wangst}} over the fact that beating people up is all he's ''good'' for, when his meeting with the Demon King has taught him that doing so never actually solves anything. Starting with the Gateway City events, however, he starts to realize that his tactical insight and raw power can be applied towards this trope -- using intimidation and psychological warfare to shift the strategic situation without actually killing anyone.
* How did Tet from ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife'' become The One True God? Simple; the other gods killed each other off fighting for the title, and Tet (who refused participate in the war) ended up as the sole surviving god.
* ''LightNovel/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'': [[TheHero Rimuru's]] philosophy as a ruler is to try to avoid conflict as much as he can and possibly build friendly relations with those of other countries/powerful entities. To this end, he tries diplomacy towards those who would seek conflict with him and only makes a showing of his considerable strength to serve as a warning. He only resorts to violence if the opposition would be a danger to everyone including his subjects without chance of negotiation (such as the Orc Disaster and Charybdis) or if his subjects were attacked without provocation (like the Kingdom of Falmuth).

Compare WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing and NoHarmRequirement where the characters aren't allowed or willing to cause violence and thus '''have''' to win without fighting.

Compare WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing.

* A character that greatly embodies this trope is ComicBook/LadyShiva, reputed as the [[WorldsBestWarrior greatest martial artist]] in the DC Universe. To any [[BadassNormal ordinary human]] (and even some supers), Lady Shiva is an InvincibleVillain that they have to figure out how to avoid or survive -- often while protecting someone else or trying to achieve a mission. In many cases, this is a test on Shiva's part, as she just wants to see what her target will do when faced with certain death and will go away if they show sufficient [[VillainRespect cleverness or bravery]]. The most common way to temporarily get rid of her, however, is to promise to face her in a fair DuelToTheDeath in one year's time. After which, they will need to [[TrainingFromHell train as if their life depends on it]]...because it ''does''.

* Discussed in ''Fanfic/WorldwarWarOfEquals''. Shiplord Straha suggest that rather than sending soldiers to fight and die trying to conquer Earth, they just batter the planet with [[NukeEm nukes]] until the Humans give in. The plan is shot down instantly due to a glassed planet not being a good place for the colonists.

* In the AU Star Wars fic [[http://archiveofourown.org/series/393550 TIE Fighter: Resurrection]] Thrawn pulls this on a cornered [[InsistentTerminology Rebel]] fleet after their last-ditch attempt to out-gambit [[TheChessmaster him]] backfires. As he has long-term plans for their ships and crews, it's not entirely out of the goodness of his heart rather than a need for resources, but he still has no desire to inflict casualties for their own sake. The Rebel crews, now mostly buying into the notion of Thrawn's invincibility, take him up on the offer over the objections of the task force's commander (bel Iblis.)
* ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'' (''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', WesternAnimation, [[{{Series}} TV Series]], and ComicBooks.): [[spoiler:How Danny beat [[WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}} Katie Kaboom]], not by using his powers, but by calling her out on the damage she caused, and telling her he has no interest in her.]]

--->'''Carrot:''' (''to the Chief Fool'') I was given an order just before I came in here. [[ExactWords If you do not comply, I will have no choice but to obey that order. Of course, I will do so with the greatest r-eluctance.]]
-->'''Chief Fool:''' Listen! If I shout, I can have a dozen men in here.
--->'''Carrot:''' Believe me, that will only make it easier for me to obey.

%%* This comes up several times in the Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo series:

* Happens once in the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology. The BigBadTriumvirate are using a scheme to make it look as if Grand Admiral Thrawn, the greatest military genius the galaxy has ever known, is BackFromTheDead, and the galaxy's not sure if this is a trick or not. One group sends a small force against him as a test. The Triumvirate manages to figure out who they are and start the opening move of one of Thrawn's responses against these people, a response which had the last time totally decimated their taskforce. Convinced, the small force flees.
** No small part of luck was involved for the Triumvirate, as the group in question was concealing their identity by using unmarked ships of a type not normally associated with them. But the actual Thrawn imposter, seemingly the least important member of the Triumvirate since any actor with the right body build and some cosmetic surgery could look like Thrawn, had underworld connections in his previous job as a con-artist and was aware of the planetary government in question having recently bought ships of that type on the black market as an unauthorized expansion of their navy. Thus, with the attackers' identity revealed, the Triumvirate's tactician knew exactly what tactics Thrawn had used against them before.

--> ''Of course, I'll have political egg on my face and a lynch mob after me from three sides, but Dad will understand... I hope.''

* ''Literature/TheGeneralSeries'': Raj Whitehall's life's ambition is to win a war without actually fighting a battle.
* For [[Literature/TheLostFleet 'Black Jack' Geary]] the best outcome would be to exit Syndic space without ever confronting the armed forces of same - his subordinates feel very differently.
* St. Anne's in Creator/CSLewis' ''Literature/ThatHideousStrength'', who rely on the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent eldila]] to stop the bad guys. While one skeptical ally wants to use human might to win, Ransom knows it wouldn't work.
* David Weber's ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' series deconstructs this trope, by presenting us with the Solarian League, who the Manticorans and Havenites spend 10 books tiptoeing on egg shells around to prevent bringing them into their war against each other. Eventually, tensions erupt between the Solarian League and the Star Empire of Manticore, where everyone realizes that centuries of winning without fighting has resulted in the Solarian League's military growing horrifically antiquated [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent due to their complacency.]]
** Also {{Averted}} in several cases where the Solarians go ahead with their attacks despite the RMN demonstrating that they possesses utterly overwhelming superiority (Imperial ships can hit at several times the effective range of League ones, and the Solarian defenses are utterly useless against Imperial missiles.
** Although it can happen in the aftermath of battles, a general policy held by assorted star nations in the Honorverse is that when an enemy force holds the orbital zone of a planet, the planet surrenders. This is due to the fact that once a fleet holds the uncontested high ground, they can launch precision kinetic strikes on the planet at will and there's no planet-based weapons in the setting that can strike back.
* Played straight and then deconstructed in ''Literature/VattasWar'', with the star system of [[spoiler: Nexus]] being considered immune from attack due to their stranglehold on interstellar [[SubspaceAnsible faster-than-light communication.]] At least until [[spoiler: someone else figures out how to build their own and improve on them.]]
* One ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' novel had the Enterprise trying to keep two forces from annihilating each other. While trying to come up with a permanent solution, they successfully bluff their own military superiority by claiming they needed to release some energy buildup in their phaser banks. They assured each side that it was only a small fraction of the maximum output and proceeded to obliterate a large asteroid MadeOfExplodium with a full power phaser blast.
* This is often how Literature/HarryPotter operates, hence why his SignatureMove is ''Expelliarmus'', which disarms an opponent before a WizardDuel can even begin. Disarming an opponent, or just murdering them outside the context of a duel, is also apparently a way to defeat the nigh-unbeatable Elder Wand, thereby securing the wand's {{loyal|Phlebotinum}}ty until someone else does the same to you.

** Another example occurs when [[spoiler:Skitter is cornered in a high school cafeteria by Dragon and Defiant, her secret identity exposed, and uses her status as a VillainWithGoodPublicity to convince the high schoolers to side with her and nonviolently walk out of the building with her -- the heroes refuse to attack innocent civilians just to get Skitter.]]
* In the third book of ''Literature/TheShadowCampaigns'', Janus quotes his universe's equivalent of the Art of War, in which it states that the perfect battle is one where the winner is so obvious in advance that there's no reason to fight it. In the following book, it gets painfully averted when he sets a battle of this nature up, and the fanatics in the opposing army attack anyway and get slaughtered pointlessly. He then bitterly notes that the book didn't mention that such a perfect battle is depending on both sides recognizing and acknowledging how one sided the battle is before fighting it.

* A season 1 episode of ''Series/BabylonFive'' has Sinclair do this with a bunch of dock workers, who are striking because they are being treated unfairly by the government. Sinclair wants to help, but the Earth government orders him to follow the "Rush Act," which forces him to end the illegal strike "by any means necessary," including violence. Sinclair follows orders, accompanies his army of security personnel down to the dock workers, and [[spoiler: gives them the pay raise and safety updates they wanted; before the enactment of the Rush Act, he couldn't give them anything, because his hands were tied up by bureaucracy, but since he can now resolve the conflict "by any means necessary," he gives them the raises they deserve]].
* In the ''Series/{{Merlin 1998}}'' series, this is how [[spoiler: King Arthur wins the war against Lord Lot, and subsequently gains him as an ally.]]

* This is how [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]] prefers to operate, being a TechnicalPacifist and a MartialPacifist. He tries negotiation, or {{Talking The Monster To Death}}, or if necessary, using TerrorHero tactics. But if all of those don't work...then TheGlovesComeOff.

* In the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' setting, along with diplomacy this is the preferred way to solve conflicts of the followers of Eldath, the Goddess of Peace. Up to exhausting their enemies to the point they'll forget why they were fighting and will give up.

-->'''Ashley''' (surprised): Nobody died.
-->'''Kaidan''': I could shoot someone if it makes you feel better.
-->'''Ashley''': Nah! I'm good.

* In ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'', when the protagonist, Morgan, and Rachel go to the bridge to forcibly remove the “captain,” he surrenders without a fight.
-->'''“Captain”:''' I’m not being paid enough for physical violence.

* ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob''-- During the attack on Butane, Galatea calls Riboflavin out for not at least attempting this; they've got the Butanians at a seemingly hopeless disadvantage, and she favors simply scaring them into surrendering, to give them a bloodless victory. Riboflavin answers, "Bloodless victory? ''Where's the fun in that?!"'' She successfully leads a mutiny against him (well, a mutiny of the only other two people on the ship).

-->'''Carrot:''' (''to the Chief Fool'') I was given an order just before I came in here. [[ExactWords If you do not comply, I will have no choice but to obey that order. Of course, I will do so with the greatest reluctance.]]

-->'''Carrot:''' Believe me, that will only make it easier for me to obey.

* ''Anime/{{Grenadier}}'': It's the entire teaching that Tendou Rushuna abides to. Her tactics involve disarming enemies in such an awesome display of skill that the enemy would be so utterly discouraged to continue fighting they would simply surrender even with no lives lost. The tactic served her so well that during the entire run of the manga/anime, her kill count is essentially zero despite having skills rivalling that of ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'''s Vash. That being said, she relies on kind words, hugs, and warm smiles as much as she does [[BizarreAndImprobableBallistics physics-defying gunplay]].
* In ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'', TheHero and [[MaouTheDemonKing Demon]] [[SheIsTheKing King]] actively try to avoid battles and fighting whenever possible, as they are trying to end a war in such a way that all the factions win. They have limited success because of their opponents being {{Proud Warrior Race}}s or ruthless generals with WeHaveReserves-like mindsets, but they still have their bloodless victories, as when Hero managed to free Gateway City without a single casualty. In fact, The Hero initially has quite a bit of {{Wangst}} over the fact that beating people up is all he's ''good'' for, when his meeting with the Demon King has taught him that doing so never actually solves anything. Starting with the Gateway City events, however, he starts to realize that his tactical insight and raw power can be applied towards this trope -- using intimidation and psychological warfare to shift the strategic situation without actually killing anyone.

* Though it doesn't work, Rider from ''LightNovel/FateZero'' tries this in the Grail War. He makes offers to the other Servants to join his army of world conquest, with no takers, and suggests that they simply debate and decide who deserves the Grail more that way.

* In ''Anime/{{Endride}}'', this is the ultimate aim of the [[LaResistance rebel army]], the Ignauts. If they build enough allies, they think they might be able to sit down and negotiate with King Delzaine to step down and prevent things from coming to bloodshed.

* Creator/BruceLee in ''Film/EnterTheDragon'' describes his fighting style to an ArrogantKungFuGuy as "the art of fighting without fighting." Then proceeds to demonstrate it by tricking him into a tiny row-boat being dragged behind the ship.
* In ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', the baron, having come back from the dead, confronts the Right ordinary Horito Jackson. Horito's troops suddenly switch onto the baron's side and let all the people out, revealing the war was long over.

* The final battle in ''Film/EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce'' is this. Evelyn uses her multiversal powers to show kindness to her assailants, reconnecting them with things that bring them joy.

* In ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', this is how Highland was able to conquer Greenhill. Highland freed the Muse soldiers and sent them to Greenhill which doubled the Greenhill's entire army. Then Highland decided to lay siege ''without attacking it''. This resulted in food supply cut short for Greenhill, a lot of mouths to feed, and ''erupted a CivilWar''.
* In ''VideoGame/BlackAndWhite 2'', playing as a Good [[AGodIsYou god]] involves building up a ShiningCity so magnificent that your enemies have a HeelRealization and [[DefeatMeansFriendship join your forces]]. With strong enough defenses, your citizens and the enemy armies never see a hair of each other before that point. [[GoodIsNotSoft Or]] you could just [[ForcedTransformation turn them into livestock]], which is also non-violent as far as the KarmaMeter is concerned...

* ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'''s Hero and Demon Queen actively try to avoid battles and fighting whenever possible, as they are trying to end a war in such a way that all the factions win. They have limited success because of their opponents being {{Proud Warrior Race}}s or ruthless generals with WeHaveReserves-like mindsets, but they still have their bloodless victories, as when Hero managed to free Gateway City without a single casualty. In fact, The Hero initially has quite a bit of {{Wangst}} over the fact that beating people up is all he's ''good'' for, when his meeting with the Demon Queen has taught him that doing so never actually solves anything. Starting with the Gateway City events, however, he starts to realize that his tactical insight and raw power can be applied towards this trope -- using intimidation and psychological warfare to shift the strategic situation without actually killing anyone.

* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'', Thors defines being a "true warrior" as being this. Having grown sick of violence and [[ActualPacifist renouncing it altogether]], his son Thorfinn eventually strives to become like his father.

* Judging from his [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} Wikiquote page]], Carl von Clausewitz was not a fan; this perhaps should not be construed as saying that Clausewitz was a BloodKnight, however -- he is likely more commenting on the fact that WarIsHell no matter what you did, and being an ActualPacifist got you nowhere once war became inevitable.

** In "A Taste Of Armageddon", the Enterprise travels to Eminiar VII, which has been at war with the planet Vendikar for [[ForeverWar 500 years]]... [[AMillionIsAStatistic Except this "war" is completely computerized, with no missiles, no bombs, no ground infantry/army/invasion, and the "attacks" are recorded within the computer, and probable deaths are counted, with casualties sent into disintegration chambers]]. It's only after [[CuttingTheKnot Kirk and Spock destroy the computers]], with Kirk explaining that [[WarIsHell war is]] ''[[WarIsHell supposed to be]]'' [[WarIsHell hell]], and that the sanitization of it is what has kept it going for so long, that they finally put an end to it. [[CruelToBeKind By making nuclear war a possibility, they actually have to make peace]].

* ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'''s Hero and Demon Queen actively try to avoid battles and fighting whenever possible, as they are trying to end a war in such a way that all the factions win. They have limited success because of their opponents being {{Proud Warrior Race}}s or ruthless WeHaveReserves generals, but they still have their bloodless victories, as when Hero managed to free Gateway City without a single casualty. In fact, The Hero initially has quite a bit of {{Wangst}} over the fact that beating people up is all he's ''good'' for, when his meeting with the Demon Queen has taught him that doing so never actually solves anything. Starting with the Gateway City events, however, he starts to realize that his tactical insight and raw power can be applied towards this trope -- using intimidation and psychological warfare to shift the strategic situation without actually killing anyone.