History Main / KillMeNowOrForeverStayYourHand

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' prequel book ''Recap/StartOfDarkness'', [[spoiler:Xykon to Redcloak]] at the end, is an incredibly dark and tear-jerking version that involves [[spoiler:Xykon]] betting on [[spoiler:Redcloak killing his own brother]], with the twist that [[spoiler:Xykon]] was never in any danger to begin with, but just wanted to make sure [[spoiler:Redcloak]] would actually [[spoiler:disintegrate his own brother]] for [[spoiler:Xykon]]'s (or [[spoiler:"the plan's"]]) sake.

-->-- '''Delilah''' to '''Samson''', ''Film/{{Samson and Delilah|1949}}''

* Filia from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}} Try'' does this with Jillas. When Jillas points a gun at her, she holds his hand with the gun and tells him to shoot. He's shocked and unable to do it, and eventually does a HeelFaceTurn when she saves his life.

* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'':

* Achilles to Briseis in the movie ''Film/{{Troy}}'' with a knife to his neck. More like "kill me or [[CoitusEnsues have sex with me]], [[MrFanservice your choice]]."

* Filia from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' Try does this with Jillas. When Jillas points a gun at her, she holds his hand with the gun and tells him to shoot. He's shocked and unable to do it, and eventually does a HeelFaceTurn when she saves his life.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''

[[folder:Films]]

** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': When Anakin finds out that Palpatine is the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for, he ignites his lightsaber. Palpatine, who had been hinting that he had the power to save Padme from dying, asks if Anakin is going to kill him. Anakin replies that he'd ''like'' to -- but he puts his lightsaber away, partly because cold-blooded murder isn't the Jedi way but mostly because he still hoped to save Padme's life. The whole scene is also a CallForward to ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' when Palpatine tells Luke "StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred", which indicates that Palpatine is fond of such gambits.

-->'''Spock:''' You have to shoot. If you are logical, you have to shoot.
-->[[spoiler:'''Valeris:''']] I do not want to.
-->'''Spock:''' [[TranquilFury What you want is irrelevant. What you have chosen is at hand!]]
-->'''Kirk:''' (''entering'') I'd just as soon you didn't.
-->(''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness Spock smacks the phaser out of]] [[spoiler:her]] [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness hand]]'')

-->'''Blaine:''' I COMMAND YOU TO STOP OR I'LL KILL YOU ALL RIGHT HERE!
-->'''Roland:''' ''Kill if you will, but command me nothing! You have forgotten the faces of those that made you! Now, either kill us or be silent and listen to me, Roland of Gilead, son of Steven, gunslinger, and lord of ancient lands! I have not come across all the miles and all the years to listen to your childish prating! Do you understand? Now you will listen to ME!''

'''Cassian:''' I will now. ''[indicates a pistol]''\\

''[Luthan smiles. Cassian briefly glances down before holding Luthan's gaze. Blackout. Roll credits.]''

* In Act I, Scene II of Theatre/JuliusCaesar, Casca tells Cassius and Brutus of the off-stage events when Caesar refused the crown three times, foamed at the mouth and fainted, baring his chest, and offering his bare throat for the citizens to slash. Afterwards, he comes to, and asks the crowd's forgiveness for a fit of temporary insanity.

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' prequel book "StartOfDarkness", [[spoiler:Xykon to Redcloak]] at the end, is an incredibly dark and tear-jerking version that involves [[spoiler:Xykon]] betting on [[spoiler:Redcloak killing his own brother]], with the twist that [[spoiler:Xykon]] was never in any danger to begin with, but just wanted to make sure [[spoiler:Redcloak]] would actually [[spoiler:disintegrate his own brother]] for [[spoiler:Xykon]]'s (or [[spoiler:"the plan's"]]) sake.
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': When Tarvek confronts someone he suspects [[TheMole has infiltrated]] several militaries, the man quietly tries to warn him off only for stakes to be raised:
-->'''Tarvek''': "Oh, are you going to ''threaten'' me? Then ''here''. (places the man's hand on his own throat) ''Do it right''. Because if you don't believe by ''now'' that I will do ''anything'' for Agatha, ''then it all ends here, anyway''. ''[[spoiler:Doesn't it, General?]]''
** This slightly backfires [[spoiler: as said character makes it ''very'' clear he could kill him...except he sees how useful he is to Agatha and that he is genuine with his affections for her. Thus grants a very creepy kind of approval for their relationship while making it clear that Tarvek is ''not'' in control here.]]

* Alexander the Great, when bedridden with illness, is said to have done something like this to a doctor whose loyalty he suspected. When warned that the doctor might try to poison his medicine he invited the doctor to his bedside. He then downed the medicine in one gulp and told the doctor that he didn't know anything about medicine, but he did know people and he knew that he would never betray him. The medicine was not poisoned, nor was any subsequent medicine.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte Napoleon]]:''' "Here I am. Kill your Emperor, if you wish."
** Not only that, he pretty much proceeded to do exactly the same thing with the entirety of France. Of course, he got pulverized in the subsequent war, but still.

-->-- '''Delilah''' to '''Samson''', ''Film/SamsonAndDelilah''

-->--'''Delilah''' to '''Samson''', ''Film/SamsonAndDelilah''

* In the "Kill Straker!" episode of ''Series/{{UFO}}'', Colonel Foster has been [[ManchurianAgent given a subliminal command]] to kill his superior Commander Straker. Straker needs to be absolutely sure the command has been erased, so he orders the guards to lock them in the ShootingGallery, then proceeds to take pot shots at Foster in order to provoke him, screaming "Kill! Kill!" when Foster finally picks up a gun to defend himself. Needless to say he doesn't. Afterwards when Foster protests that Straker was trying to kill him, Straker [[ImprobableAimingSkills shoots out a row of tiny targets from the hip]] and says "I could have killed you at any time."

* In the season 2 finale of ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'', Myka uses this tactic to talk [[spoiler:H. G. Wells]] down from her world-destroying plan.

-->'''Cassian:''' You came here to kill me, didn't you?
-->'''Luthan:''' You don't make it easy.
-->'''Cassian:''' I will now. ''(indicates a pistol)''
-->'''Luthan :''' ''(ponderously picks up the gun)'' What game is this?
-->'''Cassian:''' No game. Kill me - or take me in.
-->''(Luthan smiles. Cassian briefly glances down before holding Luthan’s gaze. Blackout. Roll credits.)''

* A non-fatal variant in season 1, episode 3 of ''Series/HouseOfCardsUS''. Underwood tells a grieving family, whose daughter died when a peace-shaped water tower Underwood had fought to maintain distracted her while driving, that he will resign if it will give them any peace. [[ManipulativeBastard By this point, however, he knows he has neutralised their hatred of him.]]

* This trope is literally the final words spoken in the first season of ''Series/{{Andor}}''. In the final scene (excluding the post-credits stinger), Cassian Andor confronts the Rebel spymaster, [[MagnificentBastard Luthen Rael]] whom he knows has specifically travelled to the planet Ferrix to tie up a loose end.

-->'''Luthen:''' You don't make it easy.

-->'''Luthen:''' ''(ponderously picks up the gun)'' What game is this?

-->''(Luthen smiles. Cassian glances down then looks back up to hold his gaze. Blackout. Roll credits.)''

* In ''VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm'', Kerrigan [[spoiler:invokes this with Jim Raynor, placing his pistol to her head. She expects him to either kill her or to forgive her for transforming herself into a new Queen Of Blades. He [[TakeAThirdOption takes a third option]]: because [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou killing her at this point would doom the galaxy]] (and he knows it), he expresses his anger with her by firing the entire load of his HandCannon into the wall behind her, pulling the trigger a few extra times with audible 'click-click-click' sounds, then leaves in disgust, saying "we're done."[[note]]He's referring to the relationship he and Kerrigan had before she was infested/reinfested[[/note]]]]
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', an injured Snow hands Hope the knife that he tried to kill him with not even a couple of hours ago, while he's carrying the kid on his back. It's either this trope, or Snow is way more naive and optimistic than people think he is. [[RousseauWasRight It pays off either way.]]

** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': When Anakin finds out that Palpatine is the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for, he ignites his lightsaber. Palpatine, who had been hinting that he had the power to save Padme from dying, asks if Anakin is going to kill him. Anakin replies that he'd ''like'' to -- but he puts his lightsaber away, partly because cold-blooded murder isn't the Jedi way but mostly because he still hoped to save Padme's life.

* In ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', [[spoiler:Han Solo]] confronts [[spoiler:his son Kylo Ren]] in a drastically unfavourable location, offering to forgive them for joining the First Order and take them back to safety. [[spoiler:Han gets impaled for his trouble: what he thought was a plea for help was a prayer to ''Darth Vader''.]]

* In "The Detachment", Literature/JohnRain suspects (accurately) that Larison is planning to kill them and keep all the loot for himself. Knowing they are NotSoDifferent and aware of how his own viewpoint changed due to the PowerOfTrust from his best friend Dox, he hands Larison a silenced Glock and gives him the option of either leaving with his share or accompanying them to stop a terrorist atrocity. Larison (who was expecting to get shot on the spot) is too stunned to say much, but does end up going with them, despite having refused earlier.

This trope describes the situation where

* According to some zoologists, this is what it means for a cat to roll up and show you his/her tummy. By exposing their most vulnerable parts (neck and stomach) a cat is placing its upmost trust in you that you won't hurt them or let any harm come to them. And they say CatsAreMean!

** [[spoiler:subverted in that Askeladd is killed by Canute before Thorfinn's thirst for vengeance can subside.]]
* [[spoiler:Ulquiorra]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' does this [[spoiler:while he's dissolving into ash]].
** Sosuke Aizen has this sort of relationship with pretty much all of his minions. Especially [[spoiler: Gin and Baraggan.]]
*** [[spoiler: Subverted when Gin reveals that he had been trying for years to be in a position where he ''could'' kill Aizen. He takes his chance as soon as it arrives. He fails due to bullshit.]]

* ''Literature/WizardAndGlass]'' by Stephen King: Roland, TheGunslinger has been on a lengthy tirade against the SpitefulAI, Blaine.

See GetItOverWith and SwordOverHead for things that may happen in the resulting scene. Also compare TurnTheOtherCheek. If Bob genuinely expects Alice to kill him, and thinks that he deserves it, see PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou.