History Main / JustToyingWithThem

* In ''TheLasyDaysOfFoxhound'', there's one situation where Foxhound, (the QuirkyMiniBossSquad from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'') tries to save several members of Dead Cell, (the QuirkyMiniBossSquad from MetalGearSolid2) who have been captured. To start off, a pair of snipers start thinning out the guards in the compound they're attacking. One of them quickly takes out 2 out of three guards that are standing together, but keeps missing the last one by an inch, ''even when the guy runs inside''. When the other sniper comments on this, the first sniper comments "[[http://gigaville.com/comic.php?id=234 I'm just fucking with him]]."

* The'Galin from ''AdventureQuest'' is a plot-guided HopelessBossFight for most players and a BonusBoss for high-end players. He is also the God of Uncreation and intentionally allows the player to futilely attack him as he toys back and inevitably defeats the player.

* ''JediOutcast'': At the end of the second level, before [[PlayerCharacter Kyle Katarn]] has regained his Force powers, Desann deliberately challenges him to defeat him without them. Mostly, he'll just stand there and deflect whatever attacks the player throws at him. It's all part of a BatmanGambit to make Kyle look to regain his powers.

** Frieza pretty much lived this trope. After going through many fights against the heroes and reaching his final form, he reveals to Goku he's only been using 1% of his total power and proceeds to start using one third. This is more than enough to beat Goku silly, and at one point briefly decides to give Goku a fighting chance by not using his hands. Once Goku goes Super Saiyan, however, Frieza stops playing around and convinces Goku to allow him to fight at full power. Unfortunately for him, his window of opportunity has already flown out the window.

** In "Oceans Unmoving", Bun-bun remarks that the only reason he hasn't killed Calix yet for getting in his way is because he kind of likes him... especially when he can verbally "crush his soul", as he then proceeds to do while at the same time demonstrating he could physically kill him easily.

For obvious reasons, tends to be a DavidVersusGoliath situation. Other tropes that may come up include HeroicSecondWind and NearVillainVictory. Compare WillfullyWeak, EvilIsStylish, EvilGloating, and MyDefenseNeedNotProtectMeForever which all resemble this in different ways. In a fight, CurbStompBattle is likely what would happen if the stronger character didn't hold back... and it might anyway.

For obvious reasons, tends to be a DavidVersusGoliath situation. Other tropes that may come up include HeroicSecondWind and NearVillainVictory. Compare WillfullyWeak, EvilIsStylish, and EvilGloating, and MyDefenseNeedNotProtectMeForever which all resemble this in different ways. In a fight, CurbStompBattle is likely what would happen if the stronger character didn't hold back... and it might anyway.

For obvious reasons, tends to be a DavidVersusGoliath situation. Other tropes that may come up include HeroicSecondWind and NearVillainVictory. Compare WillfullyWeak, EvilIsStylish, and EvilGloating, which all resemble this in different ways. In a fight, CurbStompBattle is likely what would happen if the stronger character didn't hold back... and it might anyway.

For obvious reasons, tends to be a DavidAndGoliath situation. Other tropes that may come up include HeroicSecondWind and NearVillainVictory. Compare WillfullyWeak, EvilIsStylish, and EvilGloating, which all resemble this in different ways. In a fight, CurbStompBattle is likely what would happen if the stronger character didn't hold back... and it might anyway.

Tropes that may come up include HeroicSecondWind and NearVillainVictory. Compare WillfullyWeak, EvilIsStylish, and EvilGloating, which all resemble this in different ways. In a fight, CurbStompBattle is likely what would happen if the stronger character didn't hold back... and it might anyway.

->'''Sokka:''' Wait, I '''''know''''' you're a better fighter than this!
->'''Azula:''' Oh, I know, I'm just wasting your time until the eclipse is over. And it looks like my Firebending is back!

** Sokka even mentions this.
-->'''Sokka:''' Wait, I '''''know''''' you're a better fighter than this!
-->'''Azula:''' Oh, I know, I'm just wasting your time until the eclipse is over. And it looks like my Firebending is back!

** Q also picks a fight with Capt. Sisko of ''DeepSpaceNine'', provoking Sisko to punch him and knock him down. Again, Q does seem to be pulling his punches, given what he can do.

** In "Oceans Unmoving", Bun-bun remarks that the only reason he hasn't killed Calix yet for getting in his way is because he kind of likes him... especially when he can verbally "crush his soul", as he proceeds to do while at the same time demonstrating he could physically kill him easily.

** In "Oceans Unmoving", Bun-bun remarks that the only reason he hasn't killed Calix yet for getting in his way is because he kind of likes him... especially when he can verbally "crush his soul" as he proceeds to do while at the same time demonstrating he could physically kill him easily.
** In "A Time For Hair Raising", the characters enter a spirit world and face two {{Jerkass Genie}}s, Zefolas and Fezeel. These two demons trade in souls and are virtually omnipotent in their own realm, but like to play a game of granting wishes to mortals in exchange for their souls rather than just taking them outright. They have no intention of ever ''losing'' the game, though, so they interpret the wishes however they like and ignore all that might cause them harm. Their only weakness is that they're still bound by any promise the ''do'' choose to make.

** In "Oceans Unmoving", Bun-bun remarks that the only reason he hasn't killed Calix yet for getting in his way is because he kind of likes him... especially when he can verbally "crush his soul" as he proceeds to do right after demonstrating he could physically kill him easily.

* Cats do this with mice in real life, in order to teach their kittens how to hunt.
** I've seen a cat do this with a mouse on his own. [[CatsAreMean For about five minutes]].
*** The reason for this is because it's the safest way for the cat to kill [[http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/why-cats-play-with-their-prey-a86865 without risking injury to themselves]]. By catching and releasing their prey over and over, they wear out their prey to the point where they're too tired to fight back.

** Ironically, Discord [[WhatTheHellHero implicitly criticizes]] BigGood Celestia for sealing him in stone at one point. Her decisiveness in dealing with her enemies brings to mind TerryPratchett's quote about how it's better to be at the mercy of an evil man, as he wants his enemies to know they have lost.

** Ironically, Discord [[WhatTheHellHero implicitly criticizes]] BigGood Celestia for sealing him in stone at one point. Her decisiveness in dealing with her enemies brings to mind Terry Pratchett's quote about how it's better to be at the mercy of an evil man, as he wants his enemies to know they have lost.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Discord, an evilly mischievous RealityWarper who displays the power to easily destroy the main characters, challenges the ponies to play a game to regain the Elements of Harmony, the only thing capable of defeating him. During play, he approaches each of them and manipulates them into abandoning the Element each of them represents before magically hypnotizing them into a bizarro version of themselves -- if his attempt fails, he simply brainwashes his victim with brute force, and even "wins" by brainwashing one character to break the rules. The result of this is that [[spoiler: he can just hand them the Elements, so he can watch and laugh as they prove powerless, and breaks the heroines' hope entirely. Unsurprisingly, this arrogance leads to his undoing later.]]

* ''BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'': In "Darkseid Descending", {{Darkseid}} agrees to Batman's challenge to a fistfight without using his "godlike powers" because he finds the idea interesting. It doesn't make a whole lot of difference in terms of power levels, because he's still got physical abilities on par with {{Superman}}. [[spoiler: Batman manages to keep him busy for a moment, in which time one of his allies pushes the "villain loses" button that sucks Darkseid and his army back away from Earth.]]
* From ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Azula to Sokka during the eclipse/invasion.

'''Azula:''' Oh, I know, I'm just wasting your time until the eclipse is over. And it looks like my Firebending is back!