History Main / MilkingTheMonster

* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}''
** A twisted version appears in one episode: the "monster" is actually harmless, something along the lines of a tremendous alien bovine with an incredible HealingFactor. The people who capture it [[{{Squick}} harvest it as an endless source of meat]]. True, the meat is apparently safe for human consumption, but in contrast to the show's tendency for AliensAreBastards, this monster is actually a non violent, peaceful slug like being that is being cut apart for meat ''while it's still alive'', and the true villain is the asshole in charge, who ignores the Torchwood-3 team, his own conscience ridden {{Mooks}}, not to mention his own conscience, blithely ignoring the agony he's causing a perfectly innocent alien by telling everyone [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman "it's only meat."]]
** In the episode "Reset", a medical firm that is in some way an EvilCounterpart to Torchwood-3 harvests alien material to make medical advances for the benefit of humanity. Unfortunately, the leader is a MadScientist who coldly tortures and exploits aliens like the villain of "Meat", and he callously eliminates humans he has used as guinea pigs for his alien derived treatments if it might expose what he has done.

* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', giant cave spiders are very dangerous, but giant cave spider '''silk''' produces the second most valuable cloth in the game (and the most valuable cloth from a renewable resource). Clever players look for ways to corral one into an inescapable area where it can still see and spit silk at their Dwarves, domesticated animals, or captured prisoners.
** There have also been incidents in which players rigged up ways to ''farm'' other creatures for '''''harvesting'''''. This ranged from a case where an '''ocean''' was manipulated for the purposes of getting at the walruses that lived within, to a more gruesome case where mermaids were beached and killed for their bones, which, at the time, made for high-quality crafts for selling. DF is famous for its VideogameCrueltyPotential, but the general consensus on the forums was, [[EveryoneHasStandards "This is a bit much, even for us."]] Toady One agreed and made a point of [[ObviousRulePatch making mermaid bones a lot less valuable in future releases.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'', it is possible to tame and domesticate wild animals once you're in the Tribal stage. This even includes "Epic" creatures!

* ''Literature/PerdidoStreetStation'' prominently features a plot to ''literally'' milk an EldritchAbomination for the FantasticDrug it secretes.

** There have also been incidents in which players rigged up ways to ''farm'' other creatures for '''''harvesting'''''. This ranged from a case where an '''ocean''' was manipulated for the purposes of getting at the walruses that lived within, to a more gruesome case where mermaids were beached and killed for their bones, which, at the time, made for high-quality crafts for selling (though [[ObviousRulePatch Toady has since devalued them]], evidently disgusted by the prospect).

* In the finale of ''ErnestScaredStupid'', Chuck and Bobby take photos of the rampaging trolls in the hope of making a fortune off the merchandise. [[spoiler:Then a troll grabs the camera and eats the film.]]

* MarriedWithChildren: In the season 2 opener, the Bundys vacation to a Florida town with only two tourist attractions: an axe-murdering serial killer, and a man who met Andy Griffith.

* In ''{{Spore}}'', it is possible to tame and domesticate wild animals once you're in the Tribal stage. This even includes "Epic" creatures!
* In BaldursGate, you are admonished to not kill more than five ankhegs in the area south of Baldur's Gate by a local, the reason being that ankheg tunnels areate the soil and improve crop yields by about 5%.

* A recurring event on ''ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated''. The Scooby Gang exists to solve mysteries; unfortunately, Crystal Cove's primary source of income is spooky tourism, and the mayor (Freddy's dad!) and the eternally ineffectual sheriff don't appreciate them exposing every MonsterOfTheWeek for the hoaxes they really are.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* A battle between Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick and a hydra ended with the beast unconscious, the group's leader wondering what possible use a passed-out hydra could be. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html Cut to a goblin entrepreneur basing a restaurant around its ability to regenerate heads]].

Compare MonsterProtectionRacket, in which the profiteer has a more active role in the matter.

* In ''TheIcewindDaleTrilogy'', Drizzt goes to steal a magical mask from the lair of a [[OurBansheesAreLouder banshee]] and is surprised when the local townsfolk ask him not to kill her. They explain that her presence provides some protection from orcs and other monsters, is good for tourism, and she mostly just wants to be left alone, only attacking people who invade her lair.

** The town in ''ScoobyDooAndTheWitchsGhost'' does the same. Then we learn there really is a ghost.

** The town in ''ScoobyDoo and the Witch's Ghost'' does the same. Then we learn there really is a ghost.

* In ''TheIcewindDaleTrilogy'' Drizzt goes to steal a magical mask from the lair of a [[OurBansheesAreLouder banshee]] and is surprised when the local townsfolk ask him not to kill her. They explain that her presence provides some protection from orcs and other monsters, is good for tourism, and she mostly just wants to be left alone, only attacking people who invade her lair.

* In ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'', Bowen is a disgraced knight turned dragonslayer who succeeds in almost driving dragons to extinction in search of the one who he believes was responsible for his pupil's FaceHeelTurn into a CompleteMonster. The [[LastOfHisKind last one]], who eventually picks up the name of Draco, fights Bowen to a draw and suggests a way they both can survive: Draco mock-terrorizes villages and Bowen shows up to offer to "slay" him for an exorbitant fee. [[spoiler:It works until Draco tries to take a dive into a lake that's too shallow to submerge him.]]

* In ''{{Dragonheart}}'', Bowen is a disgraced knight turned dragonslayer who succeeds in almost driving dragons to extinction in search of the one who he believes was responsible for his pupil's FaceHeelTurn into a CompleteMonster. The [[LastOfHisKind last one]], who eventually picks up the name of Draco, fights Bowen to a draw and suggests a way they both can survive: Draco mock-terrorizes villages and Bowen shows up to offer to "slay" him for an exorbitant fee. [[spoiler:It works until Draco tries to take a dive into a lake that's too shallow to submerge him.]]

A foul beast from the depths of the abyss terrorizes a small peasant village. It devours their livestock, it kidnaps their children, and the less said about what it does to their women, the better. A band of purehearted heroes hears of their plight and sets off to slay the monster. The town mayor meets them at the gates to greet them...and insist that they leave immediately.

Sometimes it happens: the monster makes money, and its purported "victims" — or a single shrewd (and often heartless) member of the public — will put up with it, or even harness it for the sake of the benefits it brings, despite the harm it causes.

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!!Examples
[[AC: Film]]
* In ''{{Dragonheart}}'', Bowen is a disgraced knight turned dragonslayer who succeeds in almost driving dragons to extinction in search of the one who he believes was responsible for his pupil's FaceHeelTurn into a CompleteMonster. The [[LastOfHisKind last one]], who eventually picks up the name of Draco, fights Bowen to a draw and suggests a way they both can survive: Draco mock-terrorizes villages and Bowen shows up to offer to "slay" him for an exorbitant fee. [[spoiler:It works until Draco tries to take a dive into a lake that's too shallow to submerge him.]]
* In the finale of ''ErnestScaredStupid'', Chuck and Bobby take photos of the rampaging trolls in the hope of making a fortune off the merchandise. [[spoiler:Then a troll grabs the camera and eats the film.]]

[[AC: Literature]]

[[AC: Live Action Television]]

[[AC: Video Games]]
* In ''DwarfFortress'', giant cave spiders are very dangerous, but giant cave spider '''silk''' produces the second most valuable cloth in the game (and the most valuable cloth from a renewable resource). Clever players look for ways to corral one into an inescapable area where it can still see and spit silk at their Dwarves, domesticated animals, or captured prisoners.

[[AC: Western Animation]]
* A recurring event on ''ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated''. The Scooby Gang exists to solve mysteries; unfortunately, Crystal Cove's primary source of income is spooky tourism, and the mayor (Freddy's dad!) and the eternally ineffectual sheriff don't appreciate them exposing every MonsterOfTheWeek for the hoaxes they really are.

* A twisted version appears in one episode of ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'': the "monster" is actually harmless, something along the lines of a tremendous alien bovine with an incredible HealingFactor. The people who capture it [[{{Squick}} harvest it as an endless source of meat]]. True, the meat is apparently safe for human consumption, but in contrast to the show's tendency for AliensAreBastards, this monster is actually a non violent, peaceful slug like being that is being cut apart for meat ''while it's still alive'', and the true villain is the asshole in charge, who ignores the Torchwood-3 team, his own conscience ridden {{Mooks}}, not to mention his own conscience, blithely ignoring the agony he's causing a perfectly innocent alien by telling everyone [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman "it's only meat."]]

** There have also been incidents in which players rigged up ways to ''farm'' other creatures for '''''harvesting'''''. This ranged from a case where an entire '''ocean''' was manipulated for the purposes of getting at the walruses that lived within, to a more gruesome case where mermaids were beached and killed for their bones, which, at the time, made for high-quality crafts for selling (though [[ObviousRulePatch Toady has since devalued them]], evidently disgusted by the prospect).

* A variant appears in the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' episode "Donny". The eponymous character is [[{{Jerkass}} an obnoxious grass ogre]] who enjoys terrorizing a town of house-people: Finn and Jake manage to make him mend his ways, but it turns out that his noxious presence was ''literally'' the only thing keeping a ferocious pack of [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent whywolves]] at bay. In the end, [[WeWantOurJerkBack they have to convince Donny to go back to his old self]], or else the whywolves will devour the entire town.

* In the finale of ''Ernest Scared Stupid'', Chuck and Bobby take photos of the rampaging trolls in the hope of making a fortune off the merchandise. [[spoiler:Then a troll grabs the camera and eats the film.]]

** There have also been incidents in which players rigged up ways to ''farm'' other creatures for '''''harvesting'''''. This ranged from a case where and entire '''ocean''' was manipulated for the walruses that lived within, to a more gruesome case where mermaids were beached and killed for their bones, which, at the time, made for high-quality crafts for selling (though [[ObviousRulePatch Toady has since devalued them]], evidently disgusted by the prospect).

* A twisted version appears in one episode of ''{{Torchwood}}'': the "monster" is actually harmless, something along the lines of a tremendous alien bovine with an incredible HealingFactor. The people who capture it [[{{Squick}} harvest it as an endless source of meat]]. True, the meat is apparently safe for human consumption, but in contrast to the show's tendency for AliensAreBastards, this monster is actually a non violent, peaceful slug like being that is being cut apart for meat ''while it's still alive'', and the true villain is the asshole in charge, who ignores the Torchwood-3 team, his own conscience ridden {{Mooks}}, not to mention his own conscience, blithely ignoring the agony he's causing a perfectly innocent alien by telling everyone [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman "it's only meat."]]

* A twisted version appears in one episode of ''{{Torchwood}}'': the "monster" is actually harmless, something along the lines of a tremendous alien bovine with an incredible HealingFactor. The people who capture it [[{{Squick}} harvest it as an endless source of meat]].

* A recurring event on ''ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated''. The Scooby Gang exists to solve mysteries; unfortunately, Crystal Cove's primary source of income is spooky tourism, and the mayor (Freddy's dad!) and the eternally ineffectual sheriff don't appreciate them exposing every MonsterOfTheWeek for the hoaxes they really are.
** The town in ''ScoobyDoo and the Witch's Ghost'' does the same. Then we learn there really is a ghost.

* A twisted version appears in one episode of ''{{Torchwood}}'': the "monster" is actually harmless, something along the lines of a tremendous alien bovine with an incredible HealingFactor. The people who capture it [[{{Squick}} harvest it as an endless source of meat]].

* A variant appears in the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' episode "Donny". The eponymous character is [[{{Jerkass}} an obnoxious grass ogre]] who enjoys terrorizing a town of house-people: Finn and Jake manage to make him mend his ways, but it turns out that his noxious presence was ''literally'' the only thing keeping a ferocious pack of [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent whywolves]] at bay. In the end, [[WeWantOurJerkBack they have to convince Donny to go back to his old self]], or else the whywolves will devour the entire town.

** The town in ScoobyDooAndTheWitchesGhost does the same. Then we learn there really is a ghost.

* A variant appears in the ''AdventureTime'' episode "Donny". The eponymous character is [[{{Jerkass}} an obnoxious grass ogre]] who enjoys terrorizing a town of house-people: Finn and Jake manage to make him mend his ways, but it turns out that his noxious presence was ''literally'' the only thing keeping a ferocious pack of [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent whywolves]] at bay. In the end, [[WeWantOurJerkBack they have to convince Donny to go back to his old self]], or else the whywolves will devour the entire town.