History Main / YouOweMe

This trope may be the reason GondorCallsForAid; it answered the call earlier. Compare LeonineContract, where the character helping is taking advantage of a grievous circumstance. Some people who are VicariouslyAmbitious have a tendency to later come back to the person they supported and expect this trope to be in effect. This trope is what the DebtDetester strongly tries to avoid, especially if they fear being taken advantaged of by whomever they owe a favor to. Contrast ThinkNothingOfIt, which is often used by TheCape and good friends.

* [[http://www.anymanga.com/tengen-toppa-gurren-lagann-gurren-school-edition/ Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Guren Gakuenhen]]: When enemies start to gang up on Yoko in a fight, Kamina comes to support her through combat and says, "You can pay me back ten times over!" Since [[spoiler: he doesn't die in this alternate universe]], there's a lighter turn of events involving him getting a kiss from her as payment.

* In ''Series/Boardwalk''Empire'', Gyp Rossetti has someone buried to his neck in the sand at the beach. The uncle of the victim begs him for mercy, which Rossetti grants [[spoiler: by foregoing his chosen method of death by rising tide, instead beating the victim to death with a shovel]]. He leans in and says "You owe me" while walking off the beach.

* In Boardwalk Empire, Gyp Rossetti has someone buried to his neck in the sand at the beach. The uncle of the victim begs him for mercy, which Rossetti grants [[spoiler: by foregoing his chosen method of death by rising tide, instead beating the victim to death with a shovel]]. He leans in and says "You owe me" while walking off the beach.

Then Mr. (or Ms.) Helpful demands reciprocation, binding the character into a situation where they ''must'' return the favor sometime in the future. It's almost always accompanied by the phrase "You owe me," or a close variation.

* In Boardwalk Empire, Gyp Rossetti has someone buried to his neck in the sand at the beach. The uncle of the victim begs him for mercy, which Rossetti grants [[by foregoing his chosen method of death by rising tide, instead beating him to death with a shovel]]. He leans in and says "You owe me" while walking off the beach.

* Shran on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', vis-a-vis Archer. When Archer helps to reveal that the Vulcans ''are'' spying on Andoria, Shran's last shot before leaving is a pissed-off statement acknowledging that he owes Archer. He later turns up to bail them out, repaying the debt and then some--the two of them go back and forth with owing each other until a FireForgedFriendship evolves.

* 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 paid because he had him in his sights a few months ago and didn't pull the trigger.

This trope may be the reason GondorCallsForAid; it answered the call earlier. Compare LeonineContract, where the character helping is taking advantage of a grievous circumstance. Some people who are VicariouslyAmbitious have a tendency to later come back to the person they supported and expect this trope to be in effect. Contrast ThinkNothingOfIt, which is often used by TheCape and good friends.

--> '''Johns:''' "I want you to remember this moment. The ways it could have gone, and didn't."

--> '''Johns:''' "Do we have a deal?"
--> '''Riddick:''' "DAMN!" ''(beat, and he gives Johns back his gun)'' "I want you to remember this moment."

* Judge Hershey does this three times in ''Film/JudgeDredd''.
* Subverted in ''Film/XMen''.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' [[spoiler:Cauldron]] is willing to accept promises of a future favor in addition to cash as part of their payment for [[spoiler:super powers]]. The trading and owing of favors is also very common among capes in general.
[[/folder]]

* ''Series/ItTakesAThief1968''. A JerkAss criminal who saved Mundy's life by carrying him to safety during WorldWarII plays this trope to get Mundy's help for a heist. At the end of the episode he gloats that it was actually another soldier who did that, dying just as he reached the criminal's foxhole, and he just took credit for it.

* In ''Film/WhiteChristmas'', Creator/DannyKaye's character uses You Owe Me on Music/BingCrosby'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.

-> ''Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, consider this justice a gift on my daughter's wedding day. ''

* ''Series/ItTakesAThief1968''. A JerkAss criminal who saved Mundy's life by carrying him to safety during WorldWarII plays this trope to get Mundy's help for a heist. At the end of the episode he gloats that it was actually another soldier who did that, dying just as he reached his foxhole, and he just took credit for it.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': During the late 90s, Lex Luthor bought and shuttered the Daily Planet. In a later story, the Daily Planet was back up and running under new management. In a flashback scene, it was revealed that Lois Lane met with Luthor, who agreed to sell the Planet to a competing news organization. In exchange he told Lois that someday in the near future, he would have Lois kill a story of his choosing, or he would tell Perry White about their deal, which would seemingly torpedo her journalism career. When the time came for Lex to have Lois kill a story, Lois instead informed Perry himself rather than knuckle under to Lex.

** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack: Said by [[LovableRogue Han Solo]] to [[TheHero Luke]] after Han saved Luke from becoming a HumanPopsicle on Hoth: "That's two you owe me, Junior".

* Said by [[LovableRogue Han Solo]] to [[TheHero Luke]] in ''StarWars'' after Han saved Luke from becoming a HumanPopsicle on Hoth: "That's two you owe me, Junior".
** And inverted in ''Return of the Jedi'' when after being rescued, Han doesn't just claim [[MakesUsEven they're even]] but thanks Luke as follows: "Hey, Luke, thanks for coming after me - now I owe you one."

* In ''Film/WhiteChristmas'', DannyKaye's character uses You Owe Me on Music/BingCrosby'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.

* Likewise in ''Series/ATouchOfFrost''. A wanted criminal is suspected of murdering a police officer, so he holes up and demands to speak to Frost, declaring that he's innocent. Frost is able to talk him into surrendering, but then he makes a gesture that looks like he's about to shoot Frost and so gets shot dead by Frost's partner, who's the real murderer. When Frost proves this, his partner tries this trope to talk Frost out of arresting him.

-->'''Frost:''' (SarcasmMode) Did you? Did you ''really?''