History Main / IShouldHaveDoneThisYearsAgo

A StockPhrase wherein a character acknowledges a past missed opportunity just as they are about to do what they were unable to (or chose not to) all those years ago. Often, the character spared a foe's life in the past and has since come to regret letting the UngratefulBastard live, in which case the phrase usually comes during a SwordOverHead moment and may be accompanied by PrepareToDie. Bonus points if the character in question is a villain who [[GenreBlindness foolishly]] [[YouKilledMyFather killed one of his enemies]] in the BackStory but left their child, now TheHero, alive out of [[NotWorthKilling scorn]], or a {{Mentor|s}} who couldn't bring himself to kill his [[DeceptiveDisciple beloved pupil]], now the BigBad, even when their OmnicidalManiac tendencies became apparent. It can also be used by [[EliteMook a henchman who served the Big Bad faithfully]], despite any mistreatment [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefullness only to be tossed aside once they got what they wanted]], [[HeelFaceTurn prompting said henchman to turn to the light side]].

A StockPhrase wherein a character acknowledges a past missed opportunity just as they are about to do what they were unable to (or chose not to) all those years ago. Often, the character spared a foe's life in the past and has since come to regret letting the UngratefulBastard live, in which case the phrase usually comes during a SwordOverHead moment and may be accompanied by PrepareToDie. Bonus points if the character in question is a villain who [[GenreBlindness foolishly]] [[YouKilledMyFather killed one of his enemies]] in the BackStory but left their child, now TheHero, alive out of [[NotWorthKilling scorn]], or a {{Mentor|s}} who couldn't bring himself to kill his [[DeceptiveDisciple beloved pupil]], now the BigBad, even when their OmnicidalManiac tendencies became apparent.

* Gargamel's comment on the use of his Daredevil Dust to capture the Smurfs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' episode "Reckless Smurfs".
* Wendy's comment to do something about Photoshop in the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "The Hobbit"
* In the ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' episode "Zim Eats Waffles", Dib manages to sneak a camera into Zim's house by simply asking GIR to do it for him. Dib remarks he should have tried that a long time ago.
* Lilith says this in the season one finale of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' [[spoiler:just before [[EmpathicHealer taking on half of Eda's curse]].]]
-->'''Lilith:''' Oh sister, I should have done this a long time ago. [[spoiler:With this spell declared, let the pain be shared.]]

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', you have a second encounter with the annoying reporter you met in the first game. If you didn't punch her then and do the second time, you say "I should have done that the first time we met."
* At the end of Merill's Rivalry path in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', she says this before [[spoiler: smashing the Eluvian.]]
* At the end of ''Videogame/MegaMan7'', Mega Man is sick of fighting Dr. Wily over and over again only for him to escape and try again to take over the world, so he delivers this line and starts charging his ArmCannon. However, he's stopped by a ThreeLawsCompliant and Bass rescues Wily.

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'': Happens twice in Chapter 6.
** Partway through the chapter, [[spoiler:when Arthur Morgan kicks Herr Strauss out of the gang]], the latter asks, "What are you doing?!" and the former replies, "Something I shoulda done a long time ago."
** During the climax, [[spoiler:when John Marston hears of [[TheMole Micah Bell's treachery]] from Arthur while they are fleeing from the Pinkertons, John's furious reaction is: "We should have killed him months ago!"]]
* One event chain in ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' can appear after you settle on a new planet in which the pollen of a native plant is found to give your colonists a mild high, which is good for morale but bad for productivity. The player is then given a choice of whether to spend credits on stamping out the plant or letting things be. If the player leaves it alone, what follows is a long chain of events where things on the colony go haywire as most people get addicted and stop working, raising the threat of insurrection and even a team from the homeworld gets afflicted and stops obeying your orders. It finally culminates in rallying the non-afflicted population into retaking control and stamping out the pollen's effects at much greater cost than before -- the only choice available at this point is simply "We should have done this a long time ago".

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' episode "These Are the Voyages..."
-->'''Riker:''' I think I'm ready to talk to Captain Picard. Should have done it a long time ago.

-->'''Gil:''' Hey there son!
-->'''Jimmy:''' What're you doing here?
-->'''Gil:''' Something I should have done a long time ago! [wraps his arms around Jimmy and gives him a big hug].
-->'''Jimmy:''' What? Molest me?

* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'': Colonel Tigh in "Revelations".
-->"I should have told you when I first found out, but I didn't have the guts."

%% * ''Literature/TheWishList'' is basically about an old guy fulfilling this trope.
* Early in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/TheStand'', Frannie Goldsmith's father touches this trope when he finally puts his foot down about his wife living in, essentially, a shrine for their dead son.

-->'''Rhaegar Targaryen''': When the battle's done, I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago, but ... well, it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when I return

-->'''Sam:''' Austin? What are you doing?
-->'''Austin:''' Something I should have done a long time ago. ''[he kisses her]''
* ''Film/CallOfThePrairie'' (1936)
-->'''Johnny Nelson:''' I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago...I'm going to round up those crooks!

--> [[spoiler: '''Tom:''' I should've killed you back in Philly.]]
--> [[spoiler: '''Carl:''' Yeah, Joey... you should have.]]

* ''{{Film/Downfall}}'' has Hitler say something similar to his entry on the Real Life section in his famous VillainousBreakdown scene.
-->'''Hitler''': For years the military has hindered my plans! They've put every kind of obstacle in my way! What I should have done is liquidate all the high-ranking officers, like Stalin did!

-->'''General Mandible:''' Cutter, what are you doing?
-->'''Colonel Cutter:''' Something I should have done, a long time ago. ''[extends his hand to the worker ants]'' ''This'' is for the good of the colony, sir.

* The ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' films both have the phrase, in which Mr. Ping the goose told his son Po the panda something he should've told him a long time ago. First Film: His secret ingredient soup. Second Film: His adoption.

* Gargamel's comment on the use of his Daredevil Dust to capture the Smurfs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Reckless Smurfs".

** In the Season 1 finale "[[Recap/AmphibiaS1E39Reunion Reunion]]", Anne [[GrewASpine musters up the courage]] to stand up to [[AlphaBitch Sasha]] after the latter threatens Sprig's life.

--->'''The Core:''' YouFool You could have been immortal! What are you doing?!\\
'''Andrias:''' Something I should have done a long time ago; STANDING UP TO ''YOU''!

-->'''Sasha:''' Anne, what are you doing?!\\
'''Anne:''' Something I should have done a long time ago: Standing up to you!

-->'''The Core:''' YouFool You could have been immortal! What are you doing?!\\
'''Andrias:''' Something I should have done a long time ago: Standing up to you!

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'': At the climax, Frollo finally reveals to Quasimodo that he killed his mother who was trying to save him (rather than abandoning him like Frollo had always told him). Frollo then delivers the famous line, "And now, I'm going to do what I should have done... '''TWENTY YEARS AGO!'''" and proceeds to [[spoiler:throw poor Quasi off the cathedral balcony. Too bad he [[HoistByHisOwnPetard ended up dying instead of killing Quasi]].]]

* ''Call of the Prairie'' (1936)

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': At the climax, Frollo finally reveals to Quasimodo that he killed his mother who was trying to save him (rather than abandoning him like Frollo had always told him). Frollo then delivers the famous line, "And now, I'm going to do what I should have done... '''TWENTY YEARS AGO!'''" and proceeds to [[spoiler:throw poor Quasi off the cathedral balcony. Too bad he [[HoistByHisOwnPetard ended up dying instead of killing Quasi]].]]

* Creator/EoinColfer's ''Literature/TheWishList'' is basically about an old guy fulfilling this trope.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'': During the climax of Chapter 6, [[spoiler:when John Marston hears of [[TheMole Micah Bell's treachery]] from Arthur Morgan while they are fleeing from the Pinkertons, John's furious reaction is: "We should have killed him months ago!"]]

* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': When Strongbad accidentally downloads several computer viruses, causing reality to re-write itself, Bubs takes Homestar's leg (actually a shotgun that's been affected by the viruses) and goes to shoot Strongbad's computer. [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail118.html "I shoulda done this like a million years ago!"]]

* In Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': At the climax, Frollo finally reveals to Quasimodo that he killed his mother who was trying to save him (rather than abandoning him like Frollo had always told him). Frollo then delivers the famous line, "And now, I'm going to do what I should have done... '''TWENTY YEARS AGO!'''" and proceeds to [[spoiler:throw poor Quasi off the cathedral balcony. Too bad he [[HoistByHisOwnPetard ended up dying instead of killing Quasi]].]]
* ''Disney/{{Moana}}'': After Moana finds some old ships hidden in a cave discovers that her people were once voyagers, her father sets off to burn said ships like he said he should have done long ago. [[spoiler: He doesn't get very far though, because he gets told he has something else to worry about.]]

A StockPhrase wherein a character acknowledges a past missed opportunity just as they are about to do what they were unable to (or chose not to) all those years ago. Often, the character spared a foe's life in the past and has since come to regret letting the UngratefulBastard live, in which case the phrase usually comes during a SwordOverHead moment and may be accompanied by PrepareToDie. Bonus points if the character in question is a villain who [[GenreBlindness foolishly]] [[YouKilledMyFather killed one of his enemies]] in the BackStory but left their child, now TheHero, alive out of [[NotWorthKilling scorn]], or a {{Mentor}} who couldn't bring himself to kill his [[DeceptiveDisciple beloved pupil]], now the BigBad, even when their OmnicidalManiac tendencies became apparent.

--> [[spoiler: '''Carl:''' Yeah Joey... you should have.]]

-->'''Sir Raleigh:''' Oh I'm [[YouKilledMyFather ever so sorry]]... how ''sloppy'' of me not to have finished the job. Obviously we should have snuffed you out as well... so, without further adieu, let me make amends by, what... [[SuddenlyShouting BLOATING]] to GARGANTUAN SIZE and SQUASHING YOU like the insignificant bug that you ''are...''