History Main / VillainExitStageLeft

* In ''Manga/GingaNagareboshiGin'', Mugen runs away when his fighters are defeated. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse He is never seen nor heard from again.]]

* In ''Manga/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'', when the forces of Tempest are counterattacking the [[KnightTemplar invading army]], Geld II and Hakurou are forced to let [[spoiler: [[TheArchMage Razen]] escape with [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Taguchi]], mostly due to the DeadMansSwitch Razen has set up to set off a FantasticNuke.]]

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries:''

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': At the end of "Recap/AsterixAndTheMagicCarpet", the last we see of [[BigBad Hoodunnit]] and Owzat is the both of them flying away on Owzat's carpet.
* In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfKorraTurfWars'', Tokuga flees into the spirit world when he plan to gas the area around the portal falls through.
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:

* Kaworu in ''Fanfic/ShinjiAndWarhammer40K'' does this three times, each time soundly thrashed despite the horrific casualties of the heroes and each time completely unwilling to accept that he was defeated. That he got into the habit of this might be the reason the author decided to [[spoiler:have Gendo demonstrate that he was EvilerThanThou]].

* Iris Sepperin in ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}''. Averted in the sequel.

* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''VideoGame/TheLegendofHeroesTrailsInTheSky'', after his OneWingedAngel form is defeated, [[BigBad Weissmann]] tries to run away from the heroes, and is seemingly successful at first, [[spoiler: until Kevin catches up to him, reveals his true identity as a ChurchMilitant, and shoots him with a Salt Bolt, slowly and painfully turning him into salt.]]

* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''VideoGame/TrailsInTheSky'', after his OneWingedAngel form is defeated, [[BigBad Weissmann]] tries to run away from the heroes, and is seemingly successful at first, [[spoiler: untill Kevin catches up to him, reveals his true identity as a ChurchMilitant, and shoots him with a Salt Bolt, slowly and painfully turning him into salt.]]

* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''VideoGame/TrailsInTheSky'', after his OneWingedAngelForm is defeated, [[BigBad Weissmann]] tries to run away from the heroes, and is seemingly successful at first, [[spoiler: untill Kevin catches up to him, reveals his true identity as a ChurchMilitant, and shoots him with a Salt Bolt, slowly and painfully turning him into salt.]]

* [[InternetToughGuy Henry]] [[LeetLingo Masterson]] and his [[GrandTheftMe Headmaster Unit]] in ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}: [[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated Animated]]''. His first appearance he manages to escape while the Autobots are busy trying to reset a solar fusion reactor. Second time is nearly [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], but [[JerkAss Porter C. Powell]] arrives on scene at the last moment to play it straight. Finally subverted without interference when he's trying to brawl Optimus with Starscream's abandoned body.

* In ''Manga/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'', when the forces of Tempest are counterattacking the [[KnightTemplar invading army]], Geld II and Hakurou are forced to let [[TheArchMage Razen]] escape with [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Taguchi]], mostly due to the DeadMansSwitch Razen has set up to set off a FantasticNuke.

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':

* ''Manga/InuYasha'':

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Double subverted at the end of the Saiyan Saga, when its main villain Vegeta tries to leave Earth in his spacepod after the proud warrior has been defeated and humiliated by Goku and his allies, and lost his tail in the process. Just as he's about to get away, Krillin tries to off him with Yajirobe's sword, but then Goku telepathically talks Krillin out of it and Vegeta goes on his way to recover for the next arc.
* ''Anime/DragonBallGT'': Subverted when Baby is defeated. He runs to a spaceship and flies away. Everybody asks Goku why he just stood there and let him escape, then he explains he just wanted Baby in the perfect position. Goku then fires a massive Kamehameha that catches the spaceship, sending Baby [[HurlItIntoTheSun straight into the sun]], where he's completely incinerated.

* Parodied in ''[[ComicBook/TheSimpsons The Simpsons Comic]]'': Bart and Lisa have just survived a run-in with Sideshow Bob, Kang and Kodos. Bob sees a helicopter with a rope-ladder hanging from it and assumes his henchmen have prepared his escape. He gives the standard "We shall meet again" speech and flees - only to realise something:

--->'''Crowley:''' Exit Stage Crowley.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': In "The Return From the Dead" Dr. Psycho flees when Di lassos the War-Prevento Machine, being gone in the seconds it takes her and Steve to confirm it really is the machine.

* Eggman tended to pull this in ''Anime/SonicX'' episodes.

* Invoked in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' issue #8. After beating Robotnik's super hero themed robots, Sonic is about to beat him up but slips on some motor oil. Robotnik then escapes riding ''Crabmeat'', after which, Sonic pulls out the Comics Code handbook and comments that the villain always gets away in the end.

* Present in most ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' titles, especially when Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main (and only) boss. Every time you defeat him, he comes back again in a bigger and sometimes-more-dangerous mecha to menace Sonic again and again.

--> '''Sonic:''' Argh! He ran off again!
--> '''Blaze:''' Those guys just will not sit still!

* In the ''Manga/MaiHime'' manga, Nao leaves her fight with Mai and Yuuichi after Yuuichi knocks Nao's Key away, preventing her from using her Child. Mai and Yuuichi demand an apology for remarks Nao made about the other.

* Invoked in ''Comicbook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' issue #8. After beating Robotnik's super hero themed robots, Sonic is about to beat him up but slips on some motor oil. Robotnik then escapes riding ''Crabmeat'', after which, Sonic pulls out the Comics Code handbook and comments that the villain always gets away in the end.
* In ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'' #17, the Masked Marauder slips away from view long enough to beat up a security guard and steal his uniform, escaping capture to menace New York another day.

* ''FanFic/TheImmortalGame'':

* In the [[BadFuture Dark World]] arc of the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'', Rancor ultimately walks away from the fight with the Elements of Harmony and returns to the Draconequi dimension after [[spoiler: succeeding in stealing Destruction's power from Discord]].
* In the ''Manga/DeathNote'' CrackFic ''FanFic/TheGame'' [[spoiler: Light]] makes his escape after [[spoiler: Near]] made everyone lose the Game [[IgnoredEnemy and they forget about him for a moment while they're bickering about it.]]

* ''FanFic/JusticeLeagueOfEquestria'': After Rainbow Dash/Supermare destroys his enchanted-to-cut-through-anything sword, Comicbook/{{Deathstroke}} hides from view with a smoke bomb and flees. He comments that [[PsychoForHire he's already been paid]], so there's really no reason for him to have still been there, anyway.

* ''FanFic/{{Webwork}}'':

* In ''FanFic/TheWarcrafter'', the [[EldritchAbomination Simurgh]] is reduced to throwing herself back into space through a hastily-assembled Tinker portal, sans a few limbs, after her assault on Canberra does not go her way ''at all''.
* ''FanFic/TheEquestrianWindMage'': After the rest of Majora's forces attacking Hyrule Castle are destroyed, Gomess flees.
* Eggman is skilled at pulling these off in ''FanFic/FateGenesis''. One actually saves his life against Archer.

** Subverted in "G.I. Jeff." Wingman shoots down Destro's parachute as he is ejecting from his downed aircraft, leading him to fall to his death. [[RealityEnsues He is court marshaled for this]], as not only did ''G.I. Joe'' have a strict ThouShaltNotKill policy, but doing so in real life is a war crime.

* A notable ''attempt'' at aversion is seen in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', where Sabin (and maybe Shadow) confront Kefka in the Imperial Base outside of Doma. Kefka ''repeatedly'' employs a Villain: Exit, Stage Left after being hit, but Sabin ''does'' try to chase him down. The only reason Kefka gets away is because of conveniently placed enemies.
** Kefka employs this trope an awful lot in the early parts of the game, while he's still being portrayed as a minor comic-relief villain. Pretty much everything goes to hell when Kefka stops running.
** A couple times he also jokes as he runs. They yell at him to wait and he responds "Wait he says. What do I look like a waiter?"

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Rude's defeat animation consists of him looking at his watch and walking away, with the heroes making no effort to pursue. But then again, said animation is too badass to interrupt. The sole exception is Rocket Town where he falls to his knees instead and is shown [=KOed=] following the fight.
* [[RivalTurnedEvil Seifer]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' does this every time you fight him. One gets the impression that Squall really just doesn't want to kill him.
** However, unlike Reno, you do knock him out once.

* Kaworu in ''FanFic/ShinjiAndWarhammer40K'' does this three times, each time soundly thrashed despite the horrific casualties of the heroes and each time completely unwilling to accept that he was defeated. That he got into the habit of this might be the reason the author decided to [[spoiler:have Gendo demonstrate that he was EvilerThanThou]].
* ''FanFic/InnerDemons'': When [[spoiler: [[TheStarscream Scootaloo]]'s]] forces are defeated by the protagonists in Ponyville, she runs off and escapes, [[WeWillMeetAgain swearing revenge.]]

* ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'': When Midnight is defeated in her lair by the Titans at the end of the Jump City arc, [[spoiler: Slade rescues her]] and then triggers the lair's self-destruct to cover their escape.

* Subverted in ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni''. [[EvilSorcerer Lung]] flees from his fortress when [[CoDragons Left and Right]] [[StormingTheCastle attack it to save Jade]]. However, [[spoiler: just before he can get on his escape boat, Right cuts him off (literally) and then kills him]]. Usually played straight by Jade and her minions, however.

* A rare villain-villain example: [[spoiler:Gecko Moria]] in ''Manga/OnePiece'' at the end of the Marineford arc was supposed to be killed as his performance simply wasn't impressive enough. However, [[spoiler:Doflamingo]] reports that he used his abilities in a way he hadn't been seen to before in order to escape.

* A notable ''attempt'' at aversion is seen in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', where Sabin (and maybe Shadow) confront Kefka in the Imperial Base outside of Doma. Kefka ''repeatedly'' employs a VillainExitStageLeft after being hit, but Sabin ''does'' try to chase him down. The only reason Kefka gets away is because of conveniently placed enemies.

[[ComicBook/RedSkull quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/539f4be8c3fb7.png]]

[[ComicBook/RedSkull {{quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/539f4be8c3fb7.png}}]]