History PlayingWith / ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill

* '''Straight''': [[UnscrupulousHero Bob]] empties his AA-12 fully-automatic shotgun on [[TheDragon General Alex]] point blank, then [[HeadCrushing bashes his head into a paste]] with a [[DropTheHammer 20-pound sledgehammer]], then [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe cleaves his headless body in half]] [[GroinAttack from his crotch to his neck]] with a [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]], and ''finally'' [[KillItWithFire douses what's left of his corpse in diesel and sets them on fire]] for good measure.

** [[MasterSwordsman Alice]] pulls out an [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] on a [[MuggingtheMonster lone bandit (who was armed with only a small knife)]] and [[BladeSpam slashes him about 100 times in a single second]], blending him into a [[LudicrousGibs unidentifiable scarlet gruel]].

* '''Averted''': There is no amount of "kill", overt or otherwise, that is going to stop ''[[ImplacableMan Alex.]]''.

* '''Downplayed''': Evulz shoots Alex in the head with an anti-materiel rifle when one shot from a pistol is enough.
** [[CowboyCop Bob]] uses the Mozambique Drill ([[DoubleTap two to the torso,]] [[BoomHeadshot one to the head]]) on [[SerialKiller Charlie]] with his sidearm, and [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown dumps the rest of the magazine on his body while he's on the floor]].

* '''Straight''': [[UnscrupulousHero Bob]] empties his AA-12 fully-automatic shotgun on [[TheDragon General Alex]] point blank, then [[YourHeadAsplode bashes his head into a paste]] with a [[DropTheHammer 20-pound sledgehammer]], then [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe cleaves his headless body in half]] [[GroinAttack from his crotch to his neck]] with a [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]], and ''finally'' [[KillItWithFire douses what's left of his corpse in diesel and sets them on fire]] for good measure.

* '''Downplayed''': Evulz shoots Alex in the head with a anti-materiel rifle when one shot from a pistol is enough.

** Alex is so dangerous that Bob wants to make sure that she stays down for good.

* '''Straight''': Bob empties his AA-12 fully-automatic shotgun on Alex point blank, then [[YourHeadAsplode bashes his head into a paste]] with a [[DropTheHammer 20-pound sledgehammer]], then [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe cleaves his headless body in half]] [[GroinAttack from his crotch to his neck]] with a [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]], and ''finally'' [[KillItWithFire douses what's left of his corpse in diesel and sets them on fire]] for good measure.

* '''Invoked''': Bob brings a minigun when everyone else brings a pistol.

* '''Inverted''': Bob heals Alice a lot more than expected.

** Bob runs Alex over with the world's longest, heaviest train, then backing up, shoots him with [[MoreDakka 100 miniguns at once]], covering the entire area in napalm, blowing him up with C4 which sends him in the air, launches [[MacrossMissileMassacre 99]] [[NukeEm nuclear]] missiles at them, burns Alex's remains in an unknown forest, [[OverlyLongGag sets that forest on fire,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and tossing whatever can be salvaged of Alex in a high-power washing machine.]]

[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill I just riddled the villain full of bullets, set his body on fire, called in an air strike, and as I was driving away to escape said air strike, ran his dead body over about four times.]]

* '''Straight''': Bob shoots Alex with a minigun, sets her on fire, then [[GroinAttack hits him in the crotch]] with a [[DropTheHammer sledgehammer]].

** Bob runs Alex over with the world's longest, heaviest train, then backing up, shoots jer with [[MoreDakka 99 miniguns at once]], covering the entire area in napalm, blowing her up with C4 which sends them in the air, launches [[MacrossMissileMassacre 99]] [[NukeEm nuclear]] missiles at them, burns Alice's remains in an unknown forest, [[OverlyLongGag sets that forest on fire,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and tossing whatever can be salvaged of Alex in a high-power washing machine.]]

** [[SummonBiggerFish Evulz summons]] Satan and Cthulhu '''at the same time''' to kill Alex and that's ''after'' he's been set on fire, riddled with machine gun bullets and decapitated.
* '''Downplayed''': Evulz shoots Alex in the head ten times with a shotgun when one shot from a pistol is enough.

* '''Parodied''': Alice is killed by a massive barrage of teddy bears, soft pillows, [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus comfy chairs]] and water balloons.

** Evulz uses so much ammo that she runs out and is quickly killed.
** Going all-out with the weaponry causes so much collateral damage that Evulz fails his mission.

** Evulz has an explicit license to do whatever it takes to complete the mission, collateral damage be damned.
** Bob fails to overkill Alice and he pays greatly for it when, NotQuiteDead, she returns to wreak havoc. Now he understands that it may be grisly, but some things are better safe than sorry.

** When TheArmorer provides Bob with a selection of absurdly big and powerful automatic weapons, Bob picks up the [[LittleUselessGun piddly little 9mm pistol]] (probably the one with [[GunAccessories the silencer]], too, and maybe some DepletedPhlebotinumShells in the proper caliber) and some additional ammunition from the WallOfWeapons. If someone then asks why the hell he didn't picked a bigger gun, BoB will then say "[[SimpleYetAwesome this]] [[BadassBoast is all the gun I need]]" and [[OneManArmy will then go on to demonstrate it]].

* '''Straight''': Emperor Evulz shoots Alice with a minigun, sets her on fire, then [[GroinAttack hits her in the crotch]] with a [[DropTheHammer sledgehammer]].

** Evulz runs Alice over with the world's longest, heaviest train, then backing up, shoots jer with [[MoreDakka 99 miniguns at once]], covering the entire area in napalm, blowing her up with C4 which sends them in the air, launches [[MacrossMissileMassacre 99]] [[NukeEm nuclear]] missiles at them, burns Alice's remains in an unknown forest, [[OverlyLongGag sets that forest on fire,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and tossing whatever can be salvaged of Alice in a high-power washing machine.]]
** Alice kills a fly with the '''''[[AtomicHate entire nuclear]] [[NukeEm arsenal of the]] [[UsefulNotes/UltimateDefenceOfTheRealm United Kingdom]].'''''
** [[SummonBiggerFish Evulz summons]] an EldritchAbomination to kill Alice and that's ''after'' she's tased multiple times and hacked to pieces.
* '''Downplayed''': Evulz shoots Alice in the head ten times with a shotgun when one shot from a pistol is enough.

** Alice is [[MadeOfIron extremely hard to kill]].
** Evulz '''really''' [[ItsPersonal hates Alice.]].
** Alice is so dangerous that Evulz wants to make sure that she stays down for good.
** It would be troublesome if not outright dangerous to Evulz to use only proportionate force when overkill would get things done safer and more efficiently, eg. calling artillery on a sniper instead of risking a SniperDuel or leveling a building rather than running a gauntlet of ambushes and booby traps to clear it.

* '''Averted''': There is no amount of "kill", overt or otherwise, that is going to stop ''[[ImplacableMan Alice.]].

* '''Invoked''': Evulz brings a minigun when everyone else brings a pistol.
* '''Exploited''': Evulz first sends her mooks in to defeat Alice. After she's defeated, Evulz ambushes Alice, knowing that she is left exhausted.

** Alice kills every enemy with a [[OneHitKill single shot]].
** When TheArmorer provides Evulz with a selection of absurdly big and powerful automatic weapons, Evulz picks up the [[LittleUselessGun piddly little 9mm pistol]] (probably the one with [[GunAccessories the silencer]], too, and maybe some DepletedPhlebotinumShells in the proper caliber) and some additional ammunition from the WallOfWeapons. If someone then asks why the hell he didn't picked a bigger gun, Evulz will then say "[[SimpleYetAwesome this]] [[BadassBoast is all the gun I need]]" and [[OneManArmy will then go on to demonstrate it]].

** Evulz is considered insane for being so excessive and everyone else is wary around them.
** SummonBiggerFish backfires as the monster Evul summoned is even worse than the previous one.

** Evulz fails to overkill Alice and he pays greatly for it when, NotQuiteDead, she returns to wreak havoc. Now he understands that it may be grisly, but some things are better safe than sorry.

* '''Played For Drama''': Evulz is on the receiving end of such a barrage.
* '''Played For Horror''': The work is about Evulz who doesn't just kills his targets, but goes well above and beyond what anybody would consider "sane" or even "humane" in his violence. Rules of engagement, war treaties and basic humanity are all disregarded for a desire to have the biggest "boom" possible, all day, every day.

* '''Straight''': Emperor Evulz shoots Alice with a minigun, sets her on fire, then [[GroinAttack hitting her in the crotch]] with a [[DropTheHammer sledgehammer]].

** Alice kills a fly with the '''''[[AtomicHate entire nuclear]] [[NukeEm arsenal of the [[UsefulNotes/UltimateDefenceOfTheRealm United Kingdom]].'''''

* '''Straight''': Shooting an unarmed person with a minigun, then setting them on fire, then [[GroinAttack hitting them in the crotch]] with a [[DropTheHammer sledgehammer]]...

** ...then running them over with the world's longest, heaviest train, then backing up, shooting them with [[MoreDakka 99 miniguns at once]], covering the entire area in napalm, blowing them up with C4 which sends them in the air, then launching [[MacrossMissileMassacre 99]] [[NukeEm nuclear]] missiles at them, burning the remains in an unknown forest, [[OverlyLongGag setting that forest on fire,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and tossing whatever can be salvaged of these in a high-power washing machine.]]
** Killing a fly with the '''''[[AtomicHate entire nuclear]] [[NukeEm arsenal of the]] [[UsefulNotes/UltimateDefenceOfTheRealm United Kingdom]].'''''
** [[SummonBiggerFish Summoning]] an EldritchAbomination to kill someone and that's ''after'' they're tased multiple times and hacked to pieces.
* '''Downplayed''':
** Shoting somebody in a head ten times with a shotgun when one shot from pistol is enough.
** CoupDeGrace, DoubleTap, PummelingTheCorpse, or FinishingStomp on a downed target.

** The victim is [[MadeOfIron extremely hard to kill]].
** Alternatively, the attacker '''really''' [[ItsPersonal hates the victim]].
** The victim is so dangerous that the attacker wants to make sure that he stays down for good.
** It would be troublesome if not outright dangerous to the attacker to use only proportionate force when overkill would get things done safer and more efficiently, eg. calling artillery on a sniper instead of risking a SniperDuel or leveling a building rather than running a gauntlet of ambushes and booby traps to clear it.
* '''Inverted''':
** CherryTapping
** OnceIsNotEnough
** Overheal: healing more than necessary.
* '''Subverted''':
** TheProtagonist blows up a {{mook}} with a grenade launcher, but there was the battle tank behind him.
** TheProtagonist blows up the BigBad with a grenade launcher, shoots him with 30 miniguns, lights him on fire, and smashes him with a sledgehammer. The Big Bad [[NooneCouldsurviveTHAT survives]].

* '''Double Subverted''': When his superior thanks him for eliminating the battle tank, he replies "[[HowDidYouKnowIDidnt what tank]]?"
* '''Parodied''': The victim is killed by a massive barrage of teddy bears, soft pillows, [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus comfy chairs]] and water balloons.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Having defeated Alice, Bob menaces her with a [[MoreDakka small army's worth of weapons]]. He ends up shooting her with a tiny gun instead... which ends up completely vaporizing Alice with an immense, spectacular explosion anyways. Turns out the unimpressive gun actually fires miniature [[NukeEm nuclear warheads]].
* '''Averted''':
** The amount of force used to kill someone is equal to the person itself.
** There is no amount of "kill", overt or otherwise, that is going to stop ''[[ImplacableMan this]]'' [[TheJuggernaut enemy]].
* '''Enforced''': "The show will be more awesome if the characters do way more than necessary."

* '''Invoked''': Bob brings a minigun when everyone else brings a pistol
* '''Exploited''': Alice first send her minions in to take care of Bob. After they're defeated, Alice ambushes Bob, knowing that he is left exhausted.

** Bob kills every enemy with a [[OneHitKill single shot]].
** When TheArmorer provides Bob with a selection of absurdly big and powerful automatic weapons, Bob picks up the [[LittleUselessGun piddly little 9mm pistol]] (probably the one with [[GunAccessories the silencer]], too, and maybe some DepletedPhlebotinumShells in the proper caliber) and some additional ammunition from the WallOfWeapons. If someone then asks why the hell he didn't picked a bigger gun, Bob will then say something like "[[SimpleYetAwesome this]] [[BadassBoast is all the gun I need]]" and [[OneManArmy will then go on to demonstrate it]].

* '''Implied''': The heroes go through a lengthy LockAndLoadMontage.

** The heroes use so much ammo that they run out and are quickly killed.
** Alternatively, going all-out with the weaponry causes so much collateral damage that heroes fail their mission.
** The heroes are considered insane for being so excessive and everyone else is wary around them.
** SummonBiggerFish backfires as the monster they summoned is even worse than the previous one.

** The heroes bring more ammo to account for their increased use.
** The heroes have an explicit license to do whatever it takes to complete the mission, collateral damage be damned.
** The heroes fail to overkill one villain and their side pays greatly for it when, NotQuiteDead, he returns to wreak havoc. Now their allies understand that it may be grisly, but some things are better safe than sorry.

** The heroes look absolutely ridiculous under the amount of weapons they have on them.
** The amount of [[MoreDakka Dakka]] Produced by the combined weapons fire forms a WaveMotionGun, even if no such weapon is being used.

* '''Played For Drama''': The heroes are on the receiving end of such a barrage.
* '''Played For Horror''': The film is about a SociopathicSoldier that doesn't just kills his targets, but goes well above and beyond what anybody would consider "sane" or even "humane" in his violence. Rules of engagement, war treaties and basic humanity are all disregarded for a desire to have the biggest "boom" possible, all day, every day.

** Shoting somebody in a head 10 times with a shotgun when 1 shot from pistol is enough.
** CoupDeGrace, DoubleTap, PummelingTheCorpse or FinishingStomp on a downed target.

** [[SummonBiggerFish Summoning]] [[EldritchAbomination Cthulhu]] to kill someone and that's ''after'' they're tased multiple times and hacked to pieces.

** Killing a fly with the [[AtomicHate entire nuclear]] [[NukeEm arsenal of the]] [[UsefulNotes/UltimateDefenceOfTheRealm United Kingdom]].

** Killing a fly with the '''''[[Franchise/StarWars Star]][[Film/TheForceAwakens killer]] [[EarthShatteringKaboom Base]]'''''.

** Killing a fly with the '''''[[Franchise/StarWars Starkiller]] [[EarthShatteringKaboom Base]]'''''.

* '''Conversed''': "Well...

* '''Played For Drama''': The Heroes are on the receiving end of such a barrage.

* '''Straight''': Shooting an unarmed person with a minigun, then setting him on fire, then [[GroinAttack hitting him in the balls]] with the [[DropTheHammer sledgehammer]].

** Running someone over with the world's longest train, then backing up, shooting them with [[MoreDakka 99 miniguns at once]], covering the entire area in napalm, blowing them up with C4 which sends them in the air, then launching [[MacrossMissileMassacre 99]] [[NukeEm nuclear]] missiles at them, burning the remains in an unknown forest, [[OverlyLongGag setting that forest on fire,]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and ultimately dunking whatever can be salvaged of them in a high-power washing machine.]]

** TheProtagonist blows up the BigBad with a grenade launcher, shoots him with 30 miniguns, lights him on fire, and smashes him with a sledgehammer. The Big Bad survives.