History PlayingWith / AFistfulOfRehashes

* '''Double Subverted''': EveryoneHasStandards, [[EvenEvilHasStandards even the most loyal and vile of mercs]]. Once both sides have done lots of on-screen [[KickTheDog dog kicking]], they will probably cross whatever the protagonist deems as [[MoralEventHorizon the line]], making him choose to KillEmAll. Or maybe he decides to kill them all [[EvilerThanThou because they're not evil enough for him]].

* '''Exaggerated''': One man playing both sides triggers a barrage of GambitPileup, ManBehindTheMan, IKnowYouKnowIKnow, IAmNotLeftHanded, MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot and ContrivedCoincidence [[TheReveal Reveals]] that are [[UpToEleven just nuts]].

** The character is [[ArmsDealer War Profiteer]]

* '''Justified''': The character walking into town [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge has]] [[RoaringRampageOfRescue a beef]] with both sides.

* '''Averted''': Character arrives to town, and simply [[OneManArmy proceeds ]] [[ConservationOfNinjutsu to]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge kick]][[RoaringRampageOfRescue both]] [[OmnicidalNeutral sides']] [[CurbStompBattle asses]].

* '''Played For Horror''': The MobWar has no holds barred, and and nothing is sacred -- there are no non-combatants, there is no truce, there is no care for collateral damage, and the only kind of victory that will be accepted is total annihilation. The city soon is burning and massacres are constant.

* '''Played For Drama''': The protagonist manages to overthrow the bosses, but [[PyrrhicVictory the collateral damage]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero is somehow excessive]]. Likewise one side could be shown as being [[ALighterShadeOfBlack a]] [[PetTheDog (maybe slightly)]] [[NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters lighter]] [[GrayAndBlackMorality side]] and their loss is understandably [[{{TearJerker}} heartbreaking]] to watch.

'''Basic Trope''': A character walks into a town with two rival factions, plays them both for suckers, and eliminates them when [[LetsYouAndHimFight the fighting]] weakens them. Sometimes at a cost for said character, sometimes with plenty of gain. [[GrayAndBlackMorality Moral]] [[GrayAndGrayMorality reasons]] [[BlackAndWhiteMorality vary]].

* '''Deconstructed''': Depending on the story, you can end up with [[AntiHero a character]] [[VillainProtagonist who]] [[BloodKnight doesn't]] [[OmnicidalNeutral have]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality a good reason]] [[TheSociopath to]] do such things other than "they were in my way"...
* '''Reconstructed''': ...On the other hand, [[AssholeVictim nobody will deny]] that [[PayEvilUntoEvil the town is definitely]] [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing better off with both sides dead]].

'''Basic Trope''': A character walks into a town with two rival factions, plays them both for suckers, and eliminates them when [[LetsYouAndHimFight the fighting]] weakens them. Sometimes at a cost for said character, sometimes with plenty of gain. [[GrayAndBlackMorality Moral]] [[GrayAndGrayMorality reasons]] [[WhiteAndBlackMorality vary]].

* '''Inverted''': [[EnemyMine Both sides join forces]] to take out someone too {{Badass}} for one side to defeat. Or they join forces to [[TakingOverTheTown take over the town]]-and thus the hero (or heroes) must fight the newly-allied bad guy army.

* '''Averted''': Character arrives to town, and simply [[{{Badass}} proceeds]] [[OneManArmy to]] [[ConservationOfNinjutsu kick]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge bo]][[RoaringRampageOfRescue th]] [[OmnicidalNeutral sides']] [[CurbStompBattle asses]].

* '''Discussed''': "Ok, so Jack walks into town and he's [[IWorkAlone a loner]] {{Badass}}, so there is no way he's going to be under anybody's employ unless he's looking for a way to [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder stab them in the back]]... as far as I can see, we can make it so [[AssholeVictim these guys]] [[KickTheDog deserve it]]."

* '''Zig Zagged''': The character wants nothing to do with either side, so he decides to try and leave. Unfortunately, his actions have attracted the attention of the factions, and so they give him AnOfferYouCantRefuse. But one has a stronger offer than the other, and so is taken by the protagonist, who tries to drive both factions to kill each other-only that the leaders are pretty GenreSavvy and take steps to prevent this... only for the protagonist to showcase that he's the spy for TheMagnificentSevenSamurai or the local HeroesRUs, and the intelligence he gets is enough for this third faction to find a weak enough spot to shake the factions' convictions, and the factions declare EnemyMine and go after this new faction... only to be backstabbed by the protagonist, who has become BeneathSuspicion by the enemies becoming targets to DeathByGenreSavviness... and the HeroesRUs ends up being EvilAllAlong, so the protagonist must do what he can to rally the other factions and thus ensure a perfect mutual kill, all the while trying to run for it because things are just becoming ''too'' crazy...

* '''Defied''': Either a GenreSavvy character will immediately choose a side and stick to it upon arrival, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere try to get the hell out of Dodge first chance he gets]], or one (or both) sides will immediately eliminate anybody who arrives to town that looks even remotely like a threat.

* '''Reconstructed''': ...On the other hand, [[AssholeVictim nobody will deny]] that [[PayEvilUntoEvil the town is definitely]] [[AndEveryoneRejoiced better off with both sides dead]].

* '''Reconstructed''': ...On the other hand, [[AssholeVictim nobody will deny]] that [[PayEvilUntoEvil the town is definitely better off with both sides dead]].

* '''Straight''': ???

* '''Double Subverted''': ???

* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

* '''Invoked''': ???
* '''Exploited''': ???

* '''Deconstructed''': Depending on the story, you can end up with [[AntiHero a character]] [[VillainProtagonist who]] [[BloodKnight doesn't]] [[OmnicidalNeutral has]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality a good reason]] [[TheSociopath to]] do such things other than "they were in my way"...

* '''Discussed''': "Ok, so Jack walks into town and he's [[IWorkAlone a loner]] {{Badass}}, so there is no way he's going to be under anybody's employ unless he's looking for a way to [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder stab them in the back]]... as far as I can see, we can make it so[[AssholeVictim these guys]] [[KickTheDog deserve it]]."

* '''Enforced''': The writer is a fan of "Yojimbo", so he decided to pay {{Homage}} to the story.... even if it involves [[ContrivedCoincidence pulling a lot]] of [[{{AssPull}} things out of his ass]], giving the character [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse no other choice]] [[ClosedCircle but]] [[BeefGate to]] fight both sides.

Back to Return to AFistfulOfRehashes, Yojimbo; there's two bosses there, and when there are two, then I'd say that there is one too many!

* Straight Use: Character walks into a town with two rival factions, plays them both for suckers, and eliminates them when [[LetsYouAndHimFight the fighting]] weakens them. Sometimes at a cost for said character, sometimes with plenty of gain. [[GrayAndBlackMorality Moral]] [[GrayAndGrayMorality reasons]] [[WhiteAndBlackMorality vary]].
* PlayedForLaughs / ParodiedTrope: The character which walks into town is TheFool or otherwise MistakenForBadass and his bumbling just triggers (or exacerbates) [[DisasterDominoes a chain reaction]] that was already set in place to go.
* PlayedForDrama: Pretty much played straight, but [[PyrrhicVictory the collateral damage]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero is somehow excessive]]. Likewise one side could be shown as being [[ALighterShadeOfBlack a]] [[PetTheDog (maybe slightly)]] [[NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters lighter]] [[GrayAndBlackMorality side]] and their loss is understandably [[{{TearJerker}} heartbreaking]] to watch.
* SubvertedTrope (?): The character picks up one side to support and sticks to it, [[IFightForTheStrongestSide for]] [[HiredGuns which]][[ConsummateProfessional ev]][[MoneyDearBoy er]] [[MyMasterRightOrWrong reason]] [[BloodKnight he]] prefers.
* AvertedTrope (?): Character arrives to town, and simply [[{{Badass}} proceeds]] [[OneManArmy to]] [[ConservationOfNinjutsu kick]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge bo]][[RoaringRampageOfRescue th]] [[OmnicidalNeutral sides']] [[CurbStompBattle asses]].
* InvertedTrope: [[EnemyMine Both sides join forces]] to take out someone too {{Badass}} for one side to defeat. Or they join forces to [[TakingOverTheTown take over the town]]-and thus the hero (or heroes) must fight the newly-allied bad guy army.
* DownplayedTrope (?): The war is already on its dying embers when the characters arrive. All that is left is (by all means and purposes) the clean-up.
* JustifiedTrope: The character walking into town [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge has]] [[RoaringRampageOfRescue a beef]] with both sides.
* DiscussedTrope: "Ok, so Jack walks into town and he's [[IWorkAlone a loner]] {{Badass}}, so there is no way he's going to be under anybody's employ unless he's looking for a way to [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder stab them in the back]]... as far as I can see, we can make it so[[AssholeVictim these guys]] [[KickTheDog deserve it]]."
* DeconstructedTrope (?): See PlayedForDrama. Depending on the story you could also add the fact that [[AntiHero the]] [[VillainProtagonist character]] [[BloodKnight doesn't]] [[OmnicidalNeutral has]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality a good reason]] [[TheSociopath to]] do such things other than "they were in my way"...
* ReconstructedTrope (?): ... on the other hand, [[AssholeVictim nobody will deny]] that [[PayEvilUntoEvil the town is definitely better off with both sides dead]].
* EnforcedTrope (?): The writer is a fan of "Yojimbo", so he decided to pay {{Homage}} to the story.... even if it involves [[ContrivedCoincidence pulling a lot]] of [[{{AssPull}} things out of his ass]], giving the character [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse no other choice]] [[ClosedCircle but]] [[BeefGate to]] fight both sides.
* DefiedTrope (?): Either a GenreSavvy character will immediately choose a side and stick to it upon arrival, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere try to get the hell out of Dodge first chance he gets]], or one (or both) sides will immediately eliminate anybody who arrives to town that looks even remotely like a threat.
* ExaggeratedTrope (?): One man playing both sides triggers a barrage of GambitPileup, ManBehindTheMan, IKnowYouKnowIKnow, IAmNotLeftHanded, MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot and ContrivedCoincidence [[TheReveal Reveals]] that are [[UpToEleven just nuts]].

Return to AFistfulOfRehashes, Yojimbo; there's two bosses there, and when there are two, then I'd say that there is one too many!