History Main / AlwaysNeedWhatYouGaveUp

* An episode of ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' combines this with UnwantedAssistance. Having had enough of Jeannie's attempts to help him, Tony orders her to not get involved in his life anymore, so she takes a mystic vow that prevents her from going against his order without turning to dust...only for Tony to be taken hostage by Chinese spies moments later. Fortunately, Jeannie manages to circumvent it by having Roger temporarily become her master.

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', after the ''Pearl'''s crew is cursed by the treasure of Cortez, "Bootstrap" Bill Turner, who disapproved of Barbossa's mutiny against Jack, thought it was a deserved punishment and sent out one of the gold pieces to his son to ensure the curse couldn't be broken. In response, Barbossa strapped him to a cannon and sent him to the bottom of the ocean. Unfortunately, it was later on that the crew learned that to break the curse, in addition to returning all the gold pieces to Cortez's chest, everyone who took a piece had to repay with their blood...which included Bootstrap's.

* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'', four of the five protagonists voluntarily send their Gundams away on a vessel bound for the Sun, intending to destroy them now that they supposedly are no longer needed. Almost immediately afterwards, Mariemaia Khushrenada starts her rebellion with a massive army of Mobile Suits that only the Gundams can stop, sending the protagonists scrambling to recover them [[RaceAgainstTime before they fly into the Sun]].

* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'', four of the five protagonists voluntarily send their Gundams away on a vessel bound for the Sun, intending to destroy them now that they supposedly are no longer needed. Almost immediately afterwards, Mariemaia Khushrenada starts her rebellion with a massive army of Mobile Suits that only the Gundams can stop, sending the protagonists scrambling to recover them before they fly into the Sun.

** After inadvertently cutting down Shandia's sacred trees[[note]]though not without good reason[[/note]], Montblanc Noland had his crew leave behind the gold they had received as penance. Upon returning the Lvneel and telling the king about what he found, he lead the king and his men back to the island, only to find the Shandians were gone, having been blasted into the sky by a Knock-Up Stream. Without the gold to verify his story, the king thought that Noland had tricked and made a fool out of him, [[DisproportionateRetribution resulting in him being executed]].

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Admiral Fujitora blinded himself so he would no longer have to see the darkness of the world. [[spoiler:But after meeting [[NiceGuy Luffy]], he realizes that not everything in this world is horrible, and laments his blindness for preventing him from seeing Luffy's kind face]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' episode "[[Recap/DucktalesS2E2SuperDucktales Super Ducktales]]", Gyro builds a security robot to protect Scrooge's money bin, and since it was fully automatic, he figured the remote control wasn't needed anymore and let the robot blow it up to demonstrate its firepower. Unfortunately, just a moment later, it's discovered that Gyro had invoked ExactWords with Scrooge's instructions for the robot to not let ''anyone'' near the bin, resulting in it shooting at Scrooge, and since Gyro had let it destroy the controls, [[ItWontTurnOff there was no way to turn him off]].

** Similar to the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' example, a segment in ''Treehouse Of Horror XIII'' has Lisa, inspired by the death of a man called William Bonney, lead a campaign to rid Springfield of guns and succeeds. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero However]], this was actually a BatmanGambit by William Bonney (aka Billy the Kid), for he and a gang of zombie outlaws [[PacifismBackfire to rise up and terrorize the defenseless town]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' episode "[[Recap/DucktalesS2E2SuperDucktales Super Ducktales]]", Gyro build a security robot to protect Scrooge's money bin, and since it was fully automatic, he figured the remote control wasn't needed anymore and let the robot blow it up to demonstrate its firepower. Unfortunately, just a moment later, it's discovered that Gyro had invoked ExactWords with Scrooge's instructions for the robot to not let ''anyone'' near the bin, resulting in it shooting at Scrooge, and since Gyro had let it destroy the controls, [[ItWontTurnOff there was no way to turn him off]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ducktales1987'' episode "[[Recap/DucktalesS2E2SuperDucktales Super Ducktales]]", Gyro build a security robot to protect Scrooge's money bin, and since it was fully automatic, he figured the remote control wasn't needed anymore and let the robot blow it up to demonstrate its firepower. Unfortunately, just a moment later, it's discovered that Gyro had invoked ExactWords with Scrooge's instructions for the robot to not let ''anyone'' near the bin, resulting in it shooting at Scrooge, and since Gyro had let it destroy the controls, [[ItWontTurnOff there was no way to turn him off]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ducktales'' episode "[[Recap/DucktalesSuperDucktales Super Ducktales]]", Gyro build a security robot to protect Scrooge's money bin, and since it was fully automatic, he figured the remote control wasn't needed anymore and let the robot blow it up to demonstrate its firepower. Unfortunately, just a moment later, it's discovered that Gyro had invoked ExactWords with Scrooge's instructions for the robot to not let ''anyone'' near the bin, resulting in it shooting at Scrooge, and since Gyro had let it destroy the controls, [[ItWontTurnOff there was no way to turn him off]].

* ''VideoGame/{{NieR}}'' has this to some extent. Those somewhat worthwhile goat hides with good value? Welcome to hours of killing goats for a quest. The expensive but otherwise easy money when sold as VendorTrash? You need those for another quest. That gives better pay.

* In ''LightNovel/SoImASpiderSoWhat'', the main character [[FanNickname Kumoko]] becomes accostumed to being able to multi-task spellcasting, physical combat and information gathering and analysis thanks to the [[SplitPersonality Parallel Minds skill]], which creates additional mental copies of herself. [[SplitPersonalityTeam Their teamwork quickly becomes a staple of her battle ability.]] Later on, when she gets tired of [[EvilMatriarch Mother's]] attempts to direct her actions with [[VillainOverride Kin Control]], she decides to [[spoiler:send her Parallels through [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame the link connecting them formed by Kin Control]], beginning a [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind mental counterattack]] against Mother]] while the original Kumoko ([[NerdGlasses Information Brain]]) moves on. Without her Parallels, she is no longer able to perform all of these individual tasks simultaneously, but [[TemptingFate Kumoko believes she is safe even without them.]] Naturally, Mother's [[ItCanThink own]] [[BatmanGambit retaliation]], which prevents the Parallels from returning to the main body, results in Kumoko running into situations where the lack of her Parallels and their previous teamwork almost gets her killed numerous times from battles she would have otherwise handled quite easily.

* "WesternAnimation/TheJetCage:" Sylvester uses ping pong racquet-shaped flaps to go chasing after Tweety. Once he catches up to his prey, he hits on the bright idea of taunting him. Then:

--> '''Sylvester:''' Oh, yeah? ''(tosses away the flaps)'' Well, now I haven't! ''(takes a look at the fields below, as the flaps flutter down)''

* In the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' episode "[[Recap/PokemonS1E57TheBreedingCenterSecret The Breeding Center Secret]]", Misty leaves her Psyduck at the titular breeding center. A while later, the heroes stumble upon a restaurant, with the owner letting them have an all-you-can-eat buffet if they show him his favorite Pokemon, only to discover that his favorite Pokemon is Psyduck, prompting Misty and the others to go back to the breeding center [[spoiler:and end up discovering the truth that it's a front by Team Rocket]].

* A rather humorous occurrence in ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' episode "The Case of the Killer Pizzas", which, ironically, fits both this trope ''and'' the [[ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime old name for this trope that is now redefined]]. Shredder and Baxter Stockman used a remote device to command a trio of [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorph]]-[[{{Expy}} like]] creatures from Dimension X to attack the title teenage turtles. During the confrontation, Donatello used his bo-staff to knock the remote out of Stockman's hand and into the water. Unfortunately, this caused the creatures to go [[TheBerserker out of control]] and [[OmnicidalNeutral attack both heroes and villains]].

* In an early episode of ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'', Boris has been ordered by his superiors to kill Bullwinkle. He plans an [[RubeGoldbergHatesYourGuts elaborate scheme]] to trap Rocky and Bullwinkle in a doomed airplane. But just after he finishes destroying the control mechanisms and throwing out the extra parachutes, he gets word from his superiors that the plan has changed and now Bullwinkle must ''not'' be killed.[[note]]The constant back-and-forth between "[[CantKillYouStillNeedYou We need him alive]]" and "[[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Get rid of him]]" is something of a RunningGag in this arc.[[/note]] In order to obey his superiors, Boris has to give Bullwinkle the one remaining parachute (that he had intended to use for himself) and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard remain on the crippled plane]]. This being a cartoon, [[InvincibleVillain he survives]], but he's not happy about it.

* In an early episode of ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'', Boris has been ordered by his superiors to kill Bullwinkle. He plans an [[RubeGoldbergHatesYourGuts elaborate scheme]] to trap Rocky and Bullwinkle in a doomed airplane. But just after he finishes destroying the control mechanisms and throwing out the extra parachutes, he gets word from his superiors that the plan has changed and they need Bullwinkle alive.[[note]]The constant back-and-forth between "[[CantKillYouStillNeedYou He must be saved]]" and "[[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Get rid of him]]" is something of a RunningGag in this arc.[[/note]] In order to obey his superiors, Boris has to give Bullwinkle the one remaining parachute (that he had intended to use for himself) and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard remain on the crippled plane]]. This being a cartoon, [[InvincibleVillain he survives]], but he's not happy about it.

** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaDodgebrawl Dodgebrawl]]", Courtney expresses regret that the Killer Bass have voted off Eva, who is dangerous but was their most athletic team member. Her regret proves apt when the challenge of the day is announced to be a game of dodgeball.
** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaSlapSlapRevolution Slap Slap Revolution]]", it turns out that the electric meat grinder Team Amazon won in New York would've been really handy to have for the current challenge, which contains a part where the teams have to make sausages by grinding meat manually. However, Heather was under the impression it was a joke reward and threw it out of the plane in frustration and in spite of Courtney's protest. Upon hearing what the current challenge entails, [[YouFool lets Heather have it]].

** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaDodgebrawl Dodgebrawl]]", Courtney expresses regret that the Killer Bass had voted off Eva in the previous episode (mostly thanks to a BatmanGambit employed by Heather), who while dangerous, was their most athletic team member. Her regret proves apt when the challenge of the day is announced to be a game of dodgeball.

** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaSlapSlapRevolution Slap Slap Revolution]]", it turns out that the electric meat grinder Team Amazon won in the New York challenge would've been really handy to have for the Swedish challenge, which contains a part where the teams have to make sausages by grinding meat manually. However, Heather was under the impression it was a joke reward and threw it out of the plane in frustration and in spite of Courtney's protest. Upon hearing what the current challenge entails, Courtney [[YouFool lets Heather have it]].

** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaDodgebrawl Dodgebrawl]]", Courtney expresses regret that the Killer Bass have voted off Eva, who is dangerous but was their most athletic team member. Her regret proves apt when the challenge of the day is announced to be a game of dodgeball.

** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaSlapSlapRevolution Slap Slap Revolution]]", it turns out that the electric meat grinder Team Amazon won at the previous location would've been really handy to have for the current challenge, which contains a part where the teams have to make sausages by grinding meat manually. However, Heather was under the impression it was a joke reward and threw it out of the plane in frustration and in spite of Courtney's protest. Upon hearing what the current challenge entails, Courtney lets Heather have it.

** When the Heroic Hamsters get a head start to the leech weaponry stash, the Villainous Vultures reflect on their choice to vote off Lightning, their most athletic team member, the previous day. Jo, who had a key role in that, defends the vote initially and the team does succeed in getting to the stash first. However, when she is the last Vulture standing during the leechball challenge, Jo too regrets getting rid of Lightning this early when, in her opinion, the rest of the team are wimps.

* This trope occurred on ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1982'' in the episode "Prisoner of the Monster", where Bruce Banner successfully cures himself of his transformations into the Hulk but is forced to restore his powers because the Hulk is the only one who can thwart the Spy Master's plan.

** In Season 1 (''Total Drama [[NewSeasonNewName Island]]''), the Killer Bass vote off the athletic Eva after Heather's successful BatmanGambit turns the Bass against Eva. The next episode's challenge is a dodgeball match, in which having Eva would surely have been helpful, with Courtney [[LampshadeHanging even saying as much in the confessional]]. Knowing [[{{Jerkass}} Chris]], this was likely no coincidence.
** In Season 3 (''Total Drama [[NewSeasonNewName World Tour]]''), Team Amazon receives an electric meat grinder as part of their reward for winning the New York challenge. Heather deems the thing useless and tosses it overboard. The very next challenge is in Switzerland, where the teams are tasked with making sausages. [[YouFool The rest of the Amazons are not pleased with Heather]].