History Main / WinYourFreedom

* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Legacy", the [[FootFocus barefoot]] victim wakes up in a house of horrors and is told that if she can escape by sunrise, she can have her freedom (and her shoes).

** In a bizarrely literal example, those slaves who were allowed a ''peculium''[[hottip:*:money or other private property ''technically'' belonging to the master but reserved for the slave's personal use]] could usually ''buy'' their freedom, by actually purchasing themselves from their masters.

* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Limelight", the [[FootFocus barefoot]] victim wakes up in a house of horrors and is told that if she can escape by sunrise, she can have her freedom (and her shoes).

* On ''MyNameIsEarl'' when Earl was incarcerated the warden kept giving him "time off" coupons for various good deeds, but when Earl earned enough of them to get out the warden reneged.
* Sawyer in ''{{Lost}}'' ironically bypassed most of a six year sentence by agreeing to con an inmate into revealing the location of a large sum of money he stole.

* In the ''CriminalMinds'' episode "Limelight", the [[FootFocus barefoot]] victim wakes up in a house of horrors and is told that if she can escape by sunrise, she can have her freedom (and her shoes).

** Also [[AncientRome Roman]] [[GladiatorGames gladiators]] to an extent, though not all of them were forced to become gladiators in the first place.

* Discussed in the ending credits of ''VideoGame/Portal2''

* A prisoner in ''{{Daybreak}}'' was let out temporarily so that he could [[spoiler: commit a murder]].

* Discussed in the ending credits of ''Portal2''

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Historically TruthInTelevision. unusually skillful and loyal slaves have often been rewarded with freedom.
** Also [[AncientRome Roman]] [[GladiatorGames gladiators]] to an extent, though not all of them were forced to become gladiators in the first place.
** In a bizarrely literal example, those slaves who were allowed a ''peculium''[[hottip:*:money or other private property ''technically'' belonging to the master but reserved for the slave's personal use]] could usually ''buy'' their freedom, by actually purchasing themselves from their masters.
* At the BattleOfLepanto the {{Galley Slave}}s in both the Turkish and Venetian fleets were offered their freedom if they behaved. The Venetians were actually given weapons and told to fight whereas the Turkish {{Galley Slave}}s were just told to row-perhaps because while the Venetians were convicts the Turkish rowers were kidnapped Christians and could hope to be welcomed back as war-heroes if they mutinied against their captors and thus could not be given arms.
* The story goes that the early 20th Century folk musician Huddie Ledbetter, aka Leadbelly, secured his release after serving 7 years of a maximum 35 year bid for murder by writing and performing a song for the Governor, then again after serving four years for attempted murder, having recorded songs for folklorists John and Alan Lomax. Although his musicianship probably helped, he was also a model prisoner and in both cases had served close to the minimum of each sentence.
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* ''TheStainlessSteelRat''

* AI Programmer Sofia Mendes has to book enough programming jobs to be released from her "intellectual prostitution" by her broker in ''TheSparrow''.

* ''{{Gladiator}}'', although Commadus isn't keen on it happening.

* The Penal Legions in ''Warhammer40000'' are groups of condemned criminals sent on suicidal missions [[WeHaveReserves they wouldn't even send Imperial Guard to do]], with a promise of forgiveness if they die, and freedom on the very, VERY small chance they live.

[[folder:Theater]]
* ''AFunnyThingHappenedOnTheWayToTheForum'': Almost everything Pseudolus does is because of this trope.

* So far, ''[[LastResort Last Resort]]'' looks like it's playing this straight, for the criminal contestants. They've all been offered their freedom, if they survive (and, one assumes, ''win'') the games. Cypress Vaeo, one of the people behind the show's creation and their 'face', has this to say to critics:

* At the BattleOfLepanto the GalleySlave s in both the Turkish and Venetian fleets were offered their freedom if they behaved. The Venetians were actually given weapons and told to fight whereas the Turkish GalleySlave s were just told to row-perhaps because while the Venetians were convicts the Turkish rowers were kidnapped Christians and could hope to be welcomed back as war-heroes if they mutinied against their captors and thus could not be given arms.

One common variant would be when its the victims friend or family member whose freedom they're trying to win. Shows great dedication when the victim could just turn and walk away and leave them to their fate.

* ''EscapeFromNewYork''[=/=]''EscapeFromLA''

* ''TheRock''. [[spoiler: The man with whom Mason made the deal has no intention of honoring it]].

* ''ShinMegamiTenseiNocturne'' - Wanna prove your "innocence" in front of the [[KangarooCourt Mantra Army Court]]? ''Get ready to punch out [[BadAss Thor]]''.

Since the kind of people who are locked up are typically not someone the captors want to let out, not to mention that doing so would mean losing their services, it's common for them to sabotage the victims attempts at fulfilling the terms of the agreement, just [[MovingTheGoalPosts changing them as needed]], or [[ILied lying]] and killing them. If anyone asks, the previous "winners" were ReleasedToElsewhere. Just about every EvilOverlord does it at some point, typically making the challenge UnwinnableByDesign. Of course the hero goes BeyondTheImpossible and wins, only to realize he was [[YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo being baited]] and breaks free instead.

* ''EscapeFromNewYork/''EscapeFromLA''

* At the BattleOfLepanto the GalleySlave s in both the Turkish and Venetian fleets were offered their freedom if they behaved. The Venetians were actually given weapons and told to fight whereas the Turkish GalleySlave s were just told to row-perhaps because while the Venetians were convicts the Turkish rowers were kidnapped Christians and could hope to be welcomed back as war-heroes if they mutinied against their captors and thus could not be given arms.

* ''EscapeFromLA/''EscapeFromNewYork''