History Main / YouOweMe

* In ''FalloutNewVegas'', one of the ways you can resolve the situation between the NCR and the Kings is to call in an old favor from The King himself if you've finished a series of quests for him and haven't cashed in the favor yet.

* Used a little differently in ''PitchBlack'' with Johns and Riddick. Johns spares Riddick's life when there was an argument over whether he should live or die and Riddick suggests that killing him is their best option.

* ''TheGodfather'': tradition requires that Don Corleone grant any favor asked of him on his daughter's wedding day. He does so, but reminds the people for whom he does so that they now owe him a favor in return -- and what he asks of them will be of at least the same degree of seriousness as what they asked of him. The mortician that Don Corleone helps in the beginning of the novel is eventually called upon to [[spoiler:reconstruct the face of Sonny Corleone, one of the Don's sons, after he is savagely murdered]].

* Subverted in ''The Beast of War'' (1998). A Soviet soldier knocks down an Afghan rebel pointing a jezail musket at a fellow soldier and says, "You owe me." The soldier doesn't bother telling him that the Afghan had actually pulled the trigger a moment before, but the weapon had misfired.

* In ''White Christmas'', Danny Kaye's character uses You Owe Me on Bing Crosby's character fairly often. Kaye saved Crosby's life during WorldWarII, at the cost of a broken arm himself and knows that he can use it anytime he wants without ever using it up. He doesn't even have to say the words "You owe me", all he has to do is clutch at his arm.

-->-- '''Professor Farnsworth,''' ''WesternAnimation/Futurama''

* ''{{Angel}}''. Apparently the reason why Illyria saved Gunn from the hell dimension. As Angel had just been talking about how Illyria was only staying at Wolfram and Hart because "it reeks of influence", this act has disturbing implications.

* Misty from the original ''{{Pokemon}}'' series joined up with Ash's party on the grounds that, after Ash stole and accidentally destroyed her bike, he owed her a new one. "You owe me a bike!" was a short-lived RunningGag, which was ultimately forgotten [[ChekhovsGag until the very end of the Johto arc.]]

-->-- '''Don Corleone,''' ''TheGodfather''

-->-- '''Professor Farnsworth,''' ''Futurama''

* ''VengeanceUnlimited'': You can owe a return favor, or you can pay one million dollars. Cash.
* This is what the mysterious hero of the show ''Stingray'' told anybody he decided to help.

* In ''ValkyriaChroniclesII'', Anisette can say something along these lines when a character you're controlling (that isn't her) opens fire on an enemy and she is close by.

* Misty from the original ''[=~Pokémon~=]'' series joined up with Ash's party on the grounds that, after Ash stole and accidently destroyed her bike, he owed her a new one. "You owe me a bike!" was a short-lived RunningGag, which was ultimately forgotten [[ChekhovsGag until the very end of the Johto arc.]]

* Subverted in a Jack Higgins novel. The protagonist (a British officer) tries to play this card to get information from an IRA man whose life he saved in Korea. The IRA man calmly points out that the debt is already saved because he had him in his sights a few months ago and didn't pull the trigger.

* Subverted in a Jack Higgins novel. The protagonist (a British officer) tries to play this card with an IRA member who's life he saved in Korea. The man calmly points out that the debt is already saved because he had him in his sights a few months ago and didn't pull the trigger.

--> {Johns fires at Riddick, who flinches, and his chains drop)
--> Johns: "I want you to remember this moment. The ways it could have gone, and didn't."
--> (Riddick grabs Johns' gun and aims at him, ready to fire)
--> Johns: "Do we have a deal?"
--> Riddick: "DAMN!" (beat, and he gives Johns back his gun) "I want you to remember this moment."

* Misty from the original ''[=~Pokémon~=]'' series joined up with Ash's party on the grounds that, after Ash stole and accidently destroyed her bike, he owed her a new one. "You owe me a bike!" was a short-lived RunningGag, which was ultimately forgotten until the very end of the Johto arc.

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* Misty from the original ''[=~Pokémon~=]'' series joined up with Ash's party on the grounds that, after Ash stole and accidently destroyed her bike, he owed her a new one. "You owe me a bike!" was a short-lived RunningGag, which was ultimately forgotten until the very end of the Johto arc.

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* Averted in ''{{Oz}}. An inmate saves Warden Glynn from being stabbed during a CooldownHug by his surrogate son Clayton Hughes, who ends up being stabbed by his own blade. When the inmate tries to cash in on this by asking to become the Warden's receptionist (a privileged position) Glynn angrily sends him back to solitary as his presence would only remind him of Clayton's death.

* This is what the mysterious hero of the show ''Stingray'' told anybody He decided to help.