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    Anime & Manga 
Ed: I see now. Our theory isn't wrong, it's just incomplete. Just a bit more! Please, let me see a bit more (into the Gate of Truth)!
Truth: ...No can do. This is all I can show for this much passage fee.
Ed: Passage fee?
Truth: That's correct. Passage fee. Equivalent Exchange, no? Ain't that right, alchemist boy?
[...]
Ed: Alphonse, no! No, dammit. You won't take him too. Give him back! He's my brother! Take my leg. Take my arm! Take my heart, ANYTHING, YOU CAN HAVE IT! Just give him back! He's my little brother, he's all I have left!
Truth: That fool... he's back for more.
[...]
Truth: Just how to you plan on pulling an entire human out of here? What's your payment? Do you intend to offer your own body?
Ed: Yeah, I've got your payment right here, so go ahead and take it! This thing is my Gate of Truth.
Truth: ...And you're sure about this? You do realize that you'll never be able to perform alchemy again without your gate. You sure you'll be okay without it? Think carefully now!
Ed: Who even needs alchemy, when I've got my friends!
Truth: You've done it! That's the right answer! Good job! You beat me! Go ahead! Take him home! The back door's right over there! Goodbye, Edward Elric!

"This is for you. If you truly wish revenge, untie the scarlet thread from his neck. Pulling the thread binds you into a covenant with me: I will ferry the soul of your tormentor straight into the depths of Hell... However, once vengeance has been served you will have to deliver on your end of the bargain. There always has to be a price and so when you die, your soul will also belong to Hell. You will never know the joys of heaven; you will be left to wander a world made of pain and agony, there to remain for all eternity. And now, the decision rests with you.
Ai Enma lays out the terms of using the Hell Correspondence, Hell Girl

"Just so you know, I've always loved listening to you talk about your dreams, Denji. Here's a new contract for you. This time, you're getting my heart. In exchange, show me your dreams. That's all I ask of you."
Pochita offering to save Denji so that Denji can use his second chance to live a good life, Chainsaw Man

    Comic Books 
The Penguin: This is a special item. Wholly unique. It was excavated decades ago from a Navajo reservation. An archaeologist took it as a soil sample from a secret underground grotto, before a cave-in wiped it off the maps. They were Skinwalkers, these people, could change their shape as they pleased. A wolf, a bear — the usual nature-y nonsense. Legend has it that the grotto was the Skinwalkers' temple... and this clay-like substance was the source of their power.
Basil Karlo: I don't have much, but I'd give anything-
The Penguin: Don't worry, let's not discuss money. I'm always happy to help out a struggling artist.
Basil Karlo: I don't know how I'll repay you, Mr Cobblepott.
The First Of The Fallen: Essentially the arrangement was that Brendan Finn would gain the expertise and power to amass a collection of the finest drink ever tasted. I think you'll agree he did precisely that.
Constantine: And you get his soul in return.
The First Of The Fallen: Indeed. A rather old-fashioned arrangement, but he was an old-fashioned man. It appealed in a... a nostalgic way, I suppose. There was one little clause, though: Mr Finn insisted that I take his soul by midnight on the day he died. If I didn't, the whole arrangement would be null and void, and he could go to heaven. I imagine he thought himself a great man indeed to bargain with the Devil. That appealed too, and I indulged him, if only to sweeten the deal. A little extra incentive. I'm sure he dreamed of somehow outsmarting me... many mortals think that way, as I'm sure you're aware. But they don't outsmart me, and I'll tell you why: they're mortal. And to be mortal is to be stupid, proud, conceited... and ultimately pathetic. And there's nothing more pathetic than a drunkard.
Hellblazer: A Drop Of The Hard Stuff

I wish you luck. But you should know that the Baba Yaga seldom does anything, gives any gift, that does not benefit her in the end.
The Leshii, Koschei the Deathless

    Fan Works 
I'm Giving You A Taste Of What It's Like To Make A Contract With Me. Pretty Ok, Isn't It? Totally Worth A Small Portion Of Your Strange Mortal Soul.
The River Spirit, Bird of Earth, of Sky, of Sea

The demon was suddenly all around her, in her throat, in her eyes, in her lungs, scraping against her skin, raking her across her back, lifting her up, sliding between her toes and fingers, impossible tongues of shadow all around her, licking at her quivering flesh, whispering sweetly into her ears, so sweetly, promising justice, promising punishments and power, if only, if only she'll serve, if only she'll serve the lords of Hell, be their arbiter, their magistrate, carry their laws into Creation and make the dragon-bloods and their Scarlet Empire fear her judgement. The promises permeate her mind, the images of dragon-bloods in gallows, Empires shattering, the dragons thrown aside, the gates of Heaven thrown wide by demons and shadows and there, in the middle of it all, there she is, and she is tall, and powerful and blind and beautiful, and it is so perfect, even as the noose descends on the mightiest gods, and they're all squirming, all dying, even her previous victims, they were all dying, again and again, and it was all too much, it rushed over her and she was overcome, and she couldn't help but urgently plead: "Yes, yes, yes, yes..."

She felt no remorse for the men and women who had fallen at her feet; frankly, it was impossible. Ruby Rose lived without the ability to feel guilty. Ruby Rose lived without a part of her soul. She’d traded it with the Elders, for powers and immortality. But so had seven others. And all of them were ready to throw her off the throne, because that’s what had been happening for hundreds of years. Their eternal damnation for wanting power, was to constantly pine for the throne of Vale. Each of them lost an emotion with a part of their soul, which warped their minds in different ways.

A man sits in darkness, pouring over dusty records.
My my my, don't you ever do anything interesting?
He swatted at the tendril of smoke coiling around him, dispersing it effortlessly.
Why don't you just accept my help?
He sighed. "I shall succeed under my own power. Keep your games to yourself."
Spoilsport.

Both his and Sabbac's powers stemmed from the same diabolical source. Both of them had done deals with a fearsome and evil entity, and had been enabled to change into a new, more powerful, and more evil sort of being with the speaking of a word.

    Film — Animated 
If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet,
You've got the pay the toll.
Take a gulp and take a breath,
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Flotsam! Jetsam! Now I've
got her, boys!
The boss is on a roll!
This poor unfortunate soul!

Friends, I know I'm in hock to y'all pretty deep already, but it seems our little froggy prince lost his way, and I need your generous assistance gettin' him back. (nervous laugh) I hear ya! Now what's in it for y'all? Well, as soon as I dispose of Big Daddy LaBouff, and I'm runnin' this town...(snickers evilly) I'll have the entire city of New Orleans in the palm of my hand. And you'll have all the wayward souls your dark little hearts desire. Ya'll love that, doncha? So, we got ourselves a deal?
Dr. Facilier, The Princess and the Frog

Dr. Facilier: Gotta hand it to you, Tiana. When you dream, you dream big. Just look at this place! Gonna be the crown jewel of the Cresent City. And all you got to do, to make this reality Is hand over that little talisman of mine.
Tiana: No. This-this is not right.
Facilier: Come on, darlin'? Think of everything you sacrificed. Think of all those people who doubted you. And don't forget your poor daddy. Now, that was one hard-working man... double, sometimes triple shifts. Never let know how bone-tired, beat he really was. Shame all that hard work didn't amount much more than a busted up, old gumbo-pot and a dream that never get off the back porch. But you... you can give your poor daddy everything he ever wanted. Come on, Tiana... You're almost there.

Unicron: "The Matrix has been passed to their new leader: Ultra Magnus. Destroy it for me."
Megatron: "Why should I? What's in it for me?"
Unicron: "Your bargaining posture is highly dubious, but very well. I will provide you with a new body, and new troops to command."
Megatron: "And?"
Unicron: "And nothing! (Beat) You belong to me, now."
Megatron: "I belong to nobody!"
Unicron: "Perhaps I misjudged you. (opens up his maw and a red beam of light comes out) Proceed, on your way to oblivion."
Megatron: "Ahhhh! No! No! I accept your terms! I accept! Nooooooo! (The beam of light turns green and Megatron stops moving)
Unicron: "Excellent."

Meg: Hey, I've sworn off man-handling.
Hades: Well, you know, that's good, because that's what got you into this jam in the first place, isn't it? You sold your soul to me to save your boyfriend's life. And how does this creep thank you? By running off with some... babe.

    Film — Live-Action 
I... I went to the police, like a good American. These two boys were brought to trial. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison, and suspended the sentence. Suspended the sentence! They went free, that very day! I stood in the courtroom like a fool, and those two bastards, they smiled at me! And I said to my wife, "for justice, we must go to Don Corleone."
Amerigo Bonasera, The Godfather

Now don't try to kid me, man-cub
I'll make a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire to make my dream come true
Now give me the secret, man-cub
C'mon! Clue me what to do!
Give me the power of man's red flower so I can be like you!

Dan Marino: I can't stand retirement. Come on, just let me win one Superbowl.
Satan: In exchange for eternal damnation of your soul? You're much too nice a guy for me to want to do that to you, Mr. Marino.
Marino: You did it for Namath!
Satan: Yeah, but Joe was coming here anyways.
Marino: This sucks. (storms off) I'll just go to the Superbowl as an announcer! And I'll win myself an Emmy!
Satan: That's the spirit!
Nicky: You're a good Devil, Dad.
Satan: And I also happen to be a Jets fan.

Winslow: "The party of the first part gives the party of the second part and his associates full power to do with him at their pleasure, to rule, to send, to fetch, or carry him or his, be it either body, soul, flesh, blood or goods." What does that mean?
Swan: That's a transportation clause.
Winslow: "All articles which are excluded shall be deemed included." What does that mean?
Swan: ...that's a clause to protect you, Winslow. Anyway, what difference does it make? What choice do you have?
Winslow: (reluctantly) I'll rewrite my cantata... but you'd best play what I write.
(Swan jabs him in the finger with a sharpened pen; a drop of Winslow's blood lands on the contract page below)
Swan: Ink isn't worth anything to me, Winslow. Now sign.
(he does so, Swan following suit with the aid of a blood-inked stamp)
Swan: Excellent. Now, we're in business together... forever.

Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished. I can offer you an escape. [...] I offer you a choice. Join my crew, and postpone the judgement. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?

Lando Calrissian: Lord Vader, what about Leia and the Wookiee?
Darth Vader: They must never again leave this city.
Lando: That was never a condition of our agreement, nor was giving Han to this bounty hunter!
Darth Vader: Perhaps you think you are being treated unfairly?
Lando: ...No.
Vader: Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison here.
Lando: (after Vader leaves) This "deal" is getting worse all the time!

What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made... with Megatron.
Sentinel Prime, Transformers: Dark of the Moon

    Literature 
But all the stories about the devil making a deal and then cheating missed the point. The real horror was that once the bargain was struck, the devil didn't cheat. He gave you exactly and explicitly all that was promised. And the price was your soul.

Elder Seth: Colonel Presley could have made a deal with me. I have always taken an interest in music. His life would have been different.
Krokodil: Better?
Seth: Different.

Go-go gadget Faustian bargain!
Harry Dresden, The Dresden Files

“To bargain with devils is to paint with your own blood: the greater the work, the harsher the price.”
Dread Empress Maleficent II, A Practical Guide to Evil

And, by any chance, does all this knowledge and power and good advice come for only three easy installments of nineteen ninety-five plus shipping and handling? Or maybe it comes with a bonus set of knives tough enough to saw through a nail, yet can still cut tomatoes like this.
Harry Dresden, The Dresden Files

If you think you've gotten a good deal from a Deveel, first count your fingers, then your limbs, then your relatives.
Aahz, Myth Adventures

If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that — for that — I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!

"I ask for a loan, not a gift," said the frightful thing. "Lend me your body for three days — you shall have mine to cage your soul the while, and, in payment, my chest. What say you to the bargain? Three short days..."
Transformation, by Mary Shelley

As 70s Satan bought and sold souls on the open market, some trends emerged. The bad guys were cultured and elegant. They had violet eyes, black dogs, and vast libraries of antique tomes, and when they died their souls slipped into good guy's bodies. Struggling reporters got a chance to become famous concert pianists, flailing movie distributors got their dream apartment, traumatized car crash survivors got freedom from their guilt and a new lover, all exchange for giving away their identities, their selves, their souls.
Paperbacks From Hell, by Grady Hendrix

Alia: What... what do you want?
Baron Harkonnen: Ahhh, my darling granddaughter, I wish only a few simple pleasures. Give me but an occasional moment of contact with your senses. No one else need ever know. Let me feel but a small corner of your life when, for example, you are enfolded in the arms of your lover. Is that not a small price to ask?
Alia: Y-yes.
Baron Harkonnen: Good, good. In return, my darling granddaughter, I can serve you in many ways. I can advise you, help you with my counsel. You will be invincible within and without. You will sweep away all opposition. History will forget your brother and cherish you. The future will be yours.
Alia: You... won't let... the.. the others take over?
Baron Harkonnen: They cannot stand against us! Singly, we can be overcome, but together we command.

Do you know something, Hugh? The world is full of needy people who don't understand that everything, everything, is for sale... if you're willing to pay the price.
Leland Gaunt, Needful Things

The Crooked Man: Don't worry, Your Majesty. Our bargain is almost concluded.
The King: It was no bargain, not for me nor the one whom you took to secure it.
The Crooked Man: You concluded no bargain that you did not wish to conclude. I gave you what you desired, and I made clear what was expected of you in return.
The King: I was a child. I was angry and I did not understand the harm that I was doing.
You're surprised. Not only do I know you, but I know all about you, about where you come from. You can sense this in an instant. I tell you the name I am using: "Derek Leech."
Not many people can do what you have done, and they always have to pay a price. Not necessarily to me, but often someone like me.
I offer you a proposition. My terms are favourable, though as always, there's a catch. "You have to think about what's important to you." So, are you interested?

    Live-Action TV 
As a spy, you often have to do things you dont like for people you don't trust. You don't always get to choose who you do business with. When the devil himself is offering the thing you want most, sometimes you dance with the devil.

Mr. Morden: What do you want?
Vir Cotto: I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike, as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this. Can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden? note 

Justin Crowe: I am reminded of the old saying "To make a deal with the devil."
Tommy Dolan: [uncomfortable laugh] Oh, but I'm not that bad, am I?
Justin Crowe: No, you're right. You aren't.

"This a bad time? Rolo Haynes, from the tenth floor. Seems you've been having some problems. I think I've got something that can help..."
Rolo Haynes, Black Mirror, "Black Museum"

Chloe: Who would take a deal like that?
Lucifer: They all do.

    Music 
There is... one thing... I mean, everything has a price... I really hate to repeat myself, but... NOTHING'S "FREE."
Alice Cooper, "Gimme"

I answer your prayers for greed and lust
More than evil, I laugh at your trust
MEGADETH, "Prince of Darkness"

All ya gotta do is sign on the dotted line
It's probably fine, right? PSYCH! Your soul is mine!
Calliope Mori, "Dead Beats"

I'm but a man. Mortal, a man.
But she leaves no footprints in the snow
Still I follow on to where she is going
For she has promised me magic if I follow on.
Nachtfalke, "The Woodwomen"

Devil came to me with a smile
He said sign on the dotted line
I'll make you poor and I'll make you homeless
I'll put you in a grave that's nameless
Devil came to me with a smile
He said sign on the dotted line
I'll use you up and break you down
I'll put you six feet in the ground
A Pale Horse Named Death, "Devil Came With a Smile"

When was this bargain made, or did you dream it in your sleep?
the lady's waiting there and it's a promise you must keep
for the power that you sought, for just one day in your life
she must be repaid — must be repaid...
Adrienne Piggott, "Hour of the Wytch"

She says "I can help you, but what do you say?"
But it's not free baby, you'll have to pay
Savage Garden, "Break Me Shake Me"

I was watching the deck on a cold starry night,
When the shape of a spectre appeared in my sight.
He said: "I am Jones and I've seen your demise.
I've been moved by your suffering, I will help you rise."

He said: "I'll make you richest of all of your crew;
In return I require a promise from you.
When your sand has run out, when your time here is through,
You'll sign up for me without further ado."
I complied and I signed with my blood on a line.
With no thought of my life, only gold on my mind.
But I was deceived, I wish I had known,
That I would be richest, but also alone.
Stormfrun, "Down Below"

Within the foggy distance, I saw a silhouette that got bigger as I stepped
The train tracks were wet
I saw a shiny grin from afar like it was happy
This is what he said as he started to walk past me
'It's a nice night for a walk, would ya mind if I joined you?'
'Do what you wanna do'
'Well that's great, cause I'm going to.
And not to annoy you but, see, I really have to ask
What a young dude like you's doin' out by the tracks?
You waitin' on a train?'
'Nah, man, let me explain'
'Alright'
'I'm mindin' my business so maybe you should do the same
I just been a witness to something sick and sadistic
So twistedly disgusting you should feel real lucky you missed it'
'Ooh, but easy with the tongue, son, try to listen carefully
What you've seen's scary, but nothing when compared to me
I could show you things to paint all your dreams haunted
I could make you scream if I wanted
Or I can be the bee in your bonnet, your best friend forever
Two peas in a pod flockin' like birds of a feather
And you never have a need to beg, work, or steal
If all this sounds worth it then let's make a deal
All you want in life for price of your soul
the money you can fold, all the power that you can hold
I'll put you in control
Only if you're down to roll down these train tracks tonight"
The Lab Rats, "Devil's Train"

Saint lucifer hear me praying to thee
On this eve of all saints
High be the price but then nothing is free
My soul I'll gladly trade

Well
Reverend, reverend, please come quick
Cause I've got something to admit
I met a man out in the sticks of Good Ol' Miss
He drove a series 10 Cadillac and wore a cigar on his lip
Don't you know the Devil wears a suit and tie
Saw him driving down the 61 in early July
White as a cotton field and sharp as a knife
I heard him howling as he passed me by
And he said
I know you, I know you young man
I know you by the state of your hands
You're a six-string picker
Just as I, I am
Let me learn you something
I know a few turns to make all the girls dance
...
Oh
Foolish, foolish was I
Damn my foolish eyes
'Cause that man's lessons
Had a price, oh, sweet price
My sweet soul, everlasting
My very own eternal light
Colter Wall, The Devil Wears A Suit And Tie

    Radio 
The Celestial Toymaker: There's a little piece of me in you, Miss Luna, and it's stirring up such thoughts, isn't it? You'd like the doctors to pluck that pneumothoraxic tube from your addled lung, you'd like to hit all the high notes in Lili Marlene and to sing again in your own little club.
Lola Luna: It would be divine!
The Celestial Toymaker: And you can have it! You can have it all — if you play along! Here's what I intend: you will take on each other in games of my choosing, and when we have one victor, one winner, one player triumphant, I will sit on their knee and give them... What. They. Want.

    Tabletop Games 
See, demons — they're predictable. They come right at you, like bundles of white-hot rage given fangs and claws. But a devil — he'll be your friend, and like a friend, he'll help you out of a jam, see. Need a few coins to get by? The devil's got a few to spare. Need a warm body to fill your bed? The devil knows the best ladies. Want status? Riches? Property? Power? The devil has the answers. He'll give you all you want and more. And what does he want in exchange? Just a little thing — a trifle, really. And it won't affect you in the slightest. All he wants is your soul.
Conner Smithson, Seeker of Virtue, Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells

So help us, they say. We cannot act, but we can give you power that will make the bickering gods of field and storm that ruin your crops every other year quail in terror. We cannot free ourselves, but we can give you a guide to help you set us free. We cannot reach beyond the bounds of our prison, but we will give you the strength to brush the stars out of the sky and set armies fleeing in terror before you. We cannot save those you love, but we can give you the cosmic might to do it yourself. All you have to do is serve us, and help us, and you will be Exalted above all other men when we are free, and the world will be yours.
They're lying with every second breath, but they're also telling you everything you want to hear. So you say okay. You say, yes, I'll change the world. And then the demon explodes into a hideous web of Essence and viscera, and closes about you, and your heart leaps in terror and revulsion and horror, but it's too late.
Word of God explaining the mindset of Infernal Exalted

When the night is over, people bitten seriously by the gambling bug find they owe Cavendish considerable sums. They might even stand on financial ruin. Again, Cavendish acts very understanding: realizing that he is dealing with good, honest working people, he will agree to give three-fifths back if they sign a paper, promising their immortal souls as collateral. With that, the Ringmaster produces a piece of paper adorned with a caricature of a 1950s spandex devil with a pitchfork, giving a piece of paper to an astonished businessman. It reads:
I, __________, hereby let it be known that I lost my soul gambling at Anastagio's Olde Time Lunar Carnival and Midnight Circus. I hereby forfeit all rights, entitlement and obligations of said immortal soul to Devyn Cavendish, proprietor. Signed, on behalf of the Board of Directors,
X Devyn Cavendish
Tremere himself had dabbled in diabolism after his failed attempt, centuries past, to take over the Order of Hermes, but had abandoned it after pinpointing its central paradox: demons weak enough to be dominated by a mortal mage are never powerful enough to perform workings worthy of the trouble involved. Demons mighty enough to grant great boons cannot be dominated; they always cheat the magus in some way. Tremere forbade his followers from engaging in infernal dabblings, not out of moral or spiritual qualms, but because the spells weren't effective enough.
Vampire: The Dark Ages — House of Tremere

I am the power of death incarnate. I am the sword's edge; I hungrily cut the flesh and drink deep of the bloody well beneath. Give me your body, and I promise you glory, I promise you vengeance and I promise you immortality – if you will only let me...

The Dark Man can't be forced into anything. He can't be made to appear, but instead must be cajoled, beseeched, awaited in the proper location until he deigns to make his presence known. He can't be bullied into giving what must, instead, be traded for. He offers anything: talent, wealth, fame, loves — but there's always a price. In stories, the Dark Man asks for your soul, but in the real world, his price is usually more tangible. A devoted son wants to win the loyalty of a faithless woman he's smitten with? Done. But there will be a price to pay, and he will know it up front before agreeing to the deal. Perhaps it will cost him his mother's life. Or her love. An aspiring musician claims to not care about the money; he just wants to be the best guitarist in the world. Done. But when he dies alone and penniless, having watched his children starve and his wife leave him for a man who could put a roof over her head, he may wonder if the trade was worth it.

While fomori may think of themselves as being principled, the carrot of a cure that Pentex dangles before their noses is usually enough to shatter the few ethics that remain. Imagine discovering that your touch reduces enemies to puddles of bubbling acid, and then that your own body is slowly eating itself away. With the choice between an ugly, ignoble death or the hope of a redeemed life, you may easily relinquish the vestiges of your humanity for Iliad's promise of a cure. After all, once you're cured, you'll have plenty of time to turn your life around and perform good deeds...
Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Freak Legions: A Player's Guide to Fomori

We are all heirs to the green-eyed monkey, and when he tells us in his oh-so-reasonable voice that the title, wealth or woman we covet is rightfully our own, we do occasionally give in. For a person whose greed or jealousy is greater than her morals (or her sense) the green-eyed monkey has another offer: he'll give her what she wants — for a price. That price is fair, all things considered, and she's probably paid it anyway. According to God's Word, to consider a sin is to commit it. Why not earn something for your trouble?
Mage: The Sorcerer's Crusade — Infernalism

    Theatre 
Y'see, it's like I said before. A lot can happen behind closed doors. Euridice was a hungry young girl, but she wasn't hungry anymore. What she was instead was dead. Dead to the world, anyway. Y'see, she went behind those doors and signed her life away.
Hermes, Hadestown

    Video Games 
Tyrannia and I... We made a deal. That deal? I kill you and all your stupid friends. And she'll make all my wildest dreams come true.
Emily "Ego" Koibito, Annventure of a Lifetime

"The Devil with the Silver Tongue". An old fairy tale my father read to me. The kind with a hero, a villain, and a moral. A farmer made a deal with a devil, so the story goes: in exchange for the farmer's dearest fruit, the devil granted him a bottomless coinpurse. The farmer's dearest fruit, naturally, was no apple, nor peach, but his beloved daughter. [...] You might think you'd give up anything for a cure, but the devil won't take just anything. He'll take everything."

You know how it works with witches, Enzo. They make a deal with the devil, and when they die, the devil gets his due. Ya get sucked down into hell, and wandering around scared shitless for eternity. Kinda comes with the territory.

I have come to take my leave. But first there is a small thing I require from you. That scroll you have used so often... did you read what it says? It's written in ancient demon script. Impossible to read. What is written is thus... You have agreed to a contract with Satan. Borrow over 30 thousand gold pieces, and your soul is forfeit. You have taken far more than this amount. I now enforce the contract.
Renon, Castlevania 64

Well, Cuphead and his pal Mugman,
They like to roll the dice.
By chance they came 'pon devil's game,
and gosh they paid the price (paid the price!)

And now they're fighting for their lives,
on a mission fraught with dread.
and if they proceed, but don't succeed,
Weeell the devil will take their heads!

God Stone bearer, with me now do treat...

Ares! Destroy my enemies, and my life is yours!
Kratos, God of War

Kratos: There was... a horse. The horse sought vengeance against his enemy, a stag. But he could not kill the stag alone. The horse met a man, a hunter, and made a deal. He took the man's bit and bridle, and allowed him to ride in a saddle on his back. Together, they killed the stag, and the horse tasted victory...But the hunter would not release the horse, and made a slave of him.
Atreus: So getting revenge cost him his freedom. Hope it was worth it.
Kratos: It was not.

"Excuse my song," The monstrous siren said. "The tune's purpose was your attention. For I knew you had troubles, and I can offer absolutions."
Tahm Kench, League of Legends

One must be wary in dealing with the Spirit Forges: the Wraiths and Shades that inhabit them offer items beyond mortal dreams, in exchange for a sampling of your blood. The Wraith Smiths forge their items with forfeit souls...

History has proven a thousand times that no man has ever gained from a bargain with The Dark, yet cowards and fools continue to try, and The Dark never turns them away.
The Mayor, Myth: The Fallen Lords

Yes. YES! He bought it! I win! AA HA HA HAAAAA!

To swear contract with demons is to embrace a false change. It is an easy power, a basic power, with only one outcome: destruction without echo.
The Dragon in the aftermath of "Hell Hath No Vacancy," The Secret World

Look around. Witness the legacy of those who were brave and dared to dream. You can rise higher and reach further than they ever did... if you only accept our help and our gift to you.
Some choose material wealth, mere shadows of true wealth, true power. You will have no need for paper and metal when you carry within you something much greater.
Some choose to be made into figureheads, pale shadows of those who walk the true and enlightened path, alongside us. Become the one who pulls the strings, not the puppet on the throne.
Some choose to be granted the gift of sight, to envision and recreate beauty... but beauty is hollow compared to true power.
Some choose to be granted the gift of language, to use words to seduce and change the world... but true power cannot be contained by words, and true power can shape the world to your will.
Come, and we'll speak of your future. We are fascinated by you. We want to hear everything about you.
The time has come to accept our gift to you. We can give you
everything... The world. You only have to choose to accept it.
The Dreamers, The Secret World

The Terror Mask: He took your girl, Rick. He took your dreams. And he took. Your. Life. Doctor Henry West, M.D.... he took it all. Only thing you got left is your soul... and that belongs to me. Who am I? Let's just say I'm God; your God... least, the only God who's listening right now. What do I want? Ah, same as any God; a little faith... for without faith, I am nothing... and without me, you're fucked. She doesn't have to die. I can help you; I can heal your wounds. We can save her, if you show me some faith, if you trust me, if you put me on...
(cue horrifyingly Painful Transformation)
The Terror Mask: Aw, quit whining. Did I say it was going to be fun? You're gonna have to learn to love the pain... there's a lot more of it to come...
Rick: What have you done to me? What am I? What am I?!
The Terror Mask: You're mine, Rick.
Rick: Jen...
The Terror Mask: Until Jen's back safe in your arms, you're mine.

The more of my power you use, the more control I gain over your body. You use your power to get what you want, and I come a little closer to my own goals. You scratch my back, I crush yours. Pretty sweet, huh?

The presence was waiting for us. It is The End of the Cycle and it has always been waiting for us. Our psionics suddenly speak in unison, a dozen voices in perfect chorus. "IT IS NOT YET YOUR TIME." A pause. "BUT IT COULD BE."
Nothing more is said, but a bargain has been offered — we know that much. Power, knowledge and wealth beyond measure are ours for the taking.
If we only bring forth The End.
We knew there would be a price to pay, but we thought it would be one we could bear, or that we could find some way to avoid paying it.

It was not, and we could not.
Stellaris, "The Shroud" event

''Perhaps.
We can reach a compromise.
You still have something I want.
Give it to me.
And I will bring this world back.
♥ Yes
Then it is agreed.
You will give me your SOUL.''
The Fallen Child after a No Mercy run, Undertale

"I'm no cheat. I give folk what they want, nothing more. That they oft desire unworthy things — that is entirely the fault of their own rotten natures."
Gaunter O'Dimm, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hearts of Stone

His smile fair as spring, as towards him he draws you;
His tongue sharp and silvery as he implores you.
Your wishes he grants, as he swears to adore you,
Gold, silver, jewels — he lays riches before you.
Dues need be repaid and he will come for you
All to reclaim, no smile to console you.
He'll snare you in bonds, eyes glowing afire
To gore and torment you till the stars expire!
Ironic Nursery Rhyme about... well, guess who, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hearts of Stone

Gul'dan: Drink, Hellscream. Claim your destiny. You will all be conquerors.
Grom Hellscream: And what, Gul'dan, must we give in return?
Gul'dan: (lifts hood) Everything.
World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor

Cloud: The great god of the Underworld is afraid of some kid? Sorry, but my contract says...
Hades: I know! You think I don't know?! I wrote the contract!

After great deliberation it was determined that the Ahamkara be made extinct.
It was not an easy decision. Power had been obtained from the bargains, and the City needed power. Knowledge had been gleaned, and the Ahamkara knew answers to questions no one had known to ask.
But the price was too high. And no edict or forbearance seemed to stop Guardians from seeking them out, driven by hope, or vengeance, or despair. The call had to be silenced. So the Great Hunt did its work.
And thus the Ahamkara were made extinct, their call silenced, their solipsistic flatteries erased, their great design -- if it ever existed -- broken.
Of this you can be assured, oh reader mine.
Grimoire: Legends 3, Destiny

Today, the Daedra are feared and abhorred across the length and breadth of Tamriel — and rightly so. Yet, despite the clear lessons of history, some misguided souls still insist that traffic with Daedra Lords can be tolerated, even accepted. To those such as you, Lady Cinnabar, I say: beware. What pact with the Daedra ever ended well?

You mad at me, kiddo? Did you forget? You owe me.
The Man in the Wall, Warframe note 

They promised me so much...
Olivia Pierce, Doom (2016)

Time's up, kiddo. I can save them — all of them — but you have to want it. Let's say we shake on it..
The Man In The Wall during The New War, Warframe

Wander: She was sacrificed for she had a cursed fate. Please, I need you to bring back her soul.
Dormin: (Evil Laugh) That maiden's soul? Souls that are once lost cannot be reclaimed... Is that not the law of mortals? (Wander puts his head down in sorrow) With that sword, however... it may not be impossible.
Wander: (Wander's head rises) Really?
Dormin: That is, of course, if thou manage to accomplish what we asketh.
[...]
Wander: I understand.
Dormin: But heed this, the price you pay may be heavy indeed.
Wander: It doesn't matter.
Dormin: Very well...

Wonder Woman: Your Society is a poor man's Regime.
Gorilla Grodd: With Brainiac, it cannot lose!
Wonder Woman: Those who bargain with devils always lose.

    Webcomics 
Even children in the hinterlands know that more is lost than gained in a deal with devils. But all that remained to her was a weeping mother, a sleeping sister, and her own young life. She believed that she had nothing left to lose. So she went to bargain. And that was the beginning of all her troubles.

Inkyrius: Who did this to you?
Varsuvius: No one. I did this to myself, so that I might vanquish the dragon.
Inkyrius: To yourself? You — what did you do??
Varsuvius: I negotiated an exchange with three gentlemen from... other planes of existence.
Inkyrius: Which planes?
Varsuvius: ... Those in the ventral position.
Inkyrius: YOU SOLD YOUR SOUL TO FIENDS???
Jephton: Willingly!
Ganonron: Willfully!
Varsuvius: Technically, it is more of a fixed-term lease with an occupancy date yet to be determined.

    Web Original 
Gentlemen, today is your lucky day. I am here to make you the offer of your lifetime. Wanna hear? Oh, why am I even asking, of course you do. I offer you whatever your hearts' desire, be it women, money, power or fame. Or maybe just a really good steak. All I am asking for in return is your signature on this... (snaps fingers, massive roll of parchment appears in his hand) ...piece of paper, promising me your immortal souls upon your eventual demise. A small price to pay for the things I am offering, am I right?

Tragically fated Gentle Rose,
Yes, choose death... but should it be yours? Is it justice that you should be killed for seeking to protect what rightfully belongs to you, or for avenging yourself on those who have wronged you? Is it enough for you to martyr yourself for the sake of your dearly departed mother and your beloved country?
No. I believe you can do much, much better than that.
[...]
Of course, this blessing will not come without cost. When you swear to follow us, we expect unquestioning loyalty. Still, I think you will agree that this is a small price to pay for the power to change the world and return it to the shape you know it should have. We are not an unfair master, and you will have the freedom you need to ensure your fiefdom's prosperity. If that is unacceptable to you then you can turn your eyes away from the clouded heavens, take your tiny knife, and see what good fortune comes your way... but we both know that you will not do that. It is not in your nature to accept a tragic fate when you have a choice.

That's all well and good until Razzle Dazzle Dorito comes to town. He's got crazy powers but also doesn't and needs to take over bodies to do anything. That's why he has to make deals with humans, but why would you make a deal with him? He has terrible reviews on Yelp.

    Western Animation 
"You're a foolish man to take that deal! A demon's promise is never real!"

Fry: That could be my beautiful soul sitting naked on her couch. If I could just learn to play this stupid thing.
Bender: Oh, but you can. But you may have to metaphorically make a deal with the devil. And by "devil," I mean Robot Devil. And by "metaphorically," I mean get your coat.

Robot Devil: I think we can strike a deal, Bender. I shall give you your Army of the Damned. And all I ask for is one thing, just one itty, bitty thing: Your first born son!
Bender: (as the Robot Devil cackles) Hold on a sec'.

Bill: Well, well, well. Someone's looking desperate! I can help you, kid. You just need to hear out my demands! ...All I want is a puppet! ...Seems to me one little puppet is a small price to pay to learn all the secrets of the universe. Besides, what's your sister done for you, lately? How many times have you sacrificed for her, huh? And when has she ever returned the favor? Tick tock, kid.
Dipper: Uh, just one puppet? Fine! So what puppet are you gonna pick anyway?
Bill: Hmm, let's see. Eenie meenie mynie... YOU!

Daolon Wong: Your answer, most malevolent of fire-breathers?
Shendu: It would seem you have summoned me merely to humor me, wizard. For to obtain the power of combustion, you would require a living, earthbound dragon, which I am not.
Daolon Wong: Hmph. You underestimate my talents, Lord Shendu. As the most malevolent of Dark Chi Masters, I know a multitude of ancient spells, some of which might restore you.
Shendu: [intrigued] Ahh… Then you may have my rightful power, Daolon Wong, if you find the spell that will allow me to live again.

Bart: I'd sell my soul for a racing car.
Devil Ned Flanders: (appears in a puff of smoke with a racing car) That can be arranged...
Bart: Meh, I changed my mind.
Devil Ned Flanders: (disappears, pissed)
Marge: Bart, stop pestering Satan.

Hordak: Why do you summon me?
Keldor: I'm dying! Save me, Hordak! So that I may continue my conquest of Eternia...
Hordak: There will be... a price.
Keldor: No price is too great.
Hordak: Then... let it be done.
[Cue Keldor becoming Skeletor]

Sunturion: This is your fault! If you had helped me defend the Star Well—!
Iron Man: Why?! So AIM could take it over?! Your dream for mankind was finished the minute you shook hands with those devils! Now, it's about to become a nightmare for millions of innocent people!
Iron Man: The Animated Series, "Cell of Iron"

Percy: What are you doing to me?
Orthax: Giving you what you wanted, Percival.
Percy: Who are you?!
Orthax: You know exactly who I am. You summoned me. Your torment and thirst for revenge called me to your side. An unspoken partnership. Deep down, you remember. Welcoming my help. Welcoming the rage that fueled you to create it. The weapon.
Percy: What are you talking about?
Orthax: Forged in iron and smoke. We struck a bargain. I gave you the means for revenge. And you gave me souls to feast upon.

    Other 
It is the magician's bargain: give up our soul, get power in return. But once our souls, that is, ourselves, have been given up, the power thus conferred will not belong to us. We shall in fact be the slaves and puppets of that to which we have given our souls.
C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

Satan frequently runs into credit payment risks.

If you just made a deal with the devil and think you got the better end of it, I'd advise you to first count your fingers and toes, then your siblings, then the rest of your family, and then your friends. Because you got screwed and you're just too stupid to realize it.
Jack Butler, Out Where the Buses Don't Run


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