History Main / NotWorthKilling

* ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'': Following the ''ComicBook/{{Fatal Attractions|MarvelComics}}'' storyline, Lady Deathstrike confronted [[Characters/MarvelComicsLogan Wolverine]] in another attempt to regain what she thought was her father's adamantium (as she long believed that the process used to graft the adamantium to Logan's bones were what her father used), only to be surprised at how weak Logan is and that his adamantium is gone. She decides to leave the battle and wait until Logan is better to exact her revenge.

** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' Harry ''was'' going to kill Sirius, but [[ThouShallNotKill couldn't bring himself to do it]]. [[MiscarriageOfJustice Fortunately, too!]]

* In the ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' story "Great Expectations," actor Mitch Goodman (who plays the "Crimson Cougar" on a soap opera) is ambushed in public by the Dark Centurion, who easily pummels him. When Mitch begs for mercy, the Centurion sneers that he's Not Worth Killing and leaves. [[spoiler:It was a ruse set up by Mitch and his friends so Mitch could stop being a high-profile [[strike:celebrity]] super-villain target.]]
* In the {{Creator/Marvel|Comics}} ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel Transformers Generation 1]]'' story "Target: 2006", Galvatron decides not to kill Ironhide on the grounds that such a pathetic specimen simply doesn't deserve to be killed by one as great as him.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'', Baba Yaga and the djinn find themselves trapped in the business office with Buffkin, Frank, the mirror, and some of the barleycorn brides. Buffkin challenges Baba Yaga and the djinn, but they just laugh at him and float away. This has some consequences later. [[spoiler:Snicker snack]], indeed.
* A RetCon in ''[[ComicBook/SecretSix Villains United]]'' gave this as the reason Catman survived ratting out [[ComicBook/DoomPatrol The Brotherhood of Evil]] in ComicBook/GreenArrow and subsequently TookALevelInBadass.
-->'''Catman''': When a Frenchman and an ape think you're not even worth killing, that's a bit of a dark day.
* Morlun in ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' decides that the [[ComicStrip/SpiderMan newspaper Spider-Man]] is just not worth going back to because of ComicBookTime, as he noted the idea of trying to eat him would take weeks, if not months. [[spoiler:It's also a perfect excuse for the Master Weaver to spirit that universe away and hide it.]]

* Following the ''ComicBook/{{Fatal Attractions|MarvelComics}}'' storyline, Lady Deathstrike confronted [[Characters/MarvelComicsLogan Wolverine]] in another attempt to regain what she thought was her father's adamantium (as she long believed that the process used to graft the adamantium to Logan's bones were what her father used), only to be surprised at how weak Logan is and that his adamantium is gone. She decides to leave the battle and wait until Logan is better to exact her revenge.

* ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': [[Characters/MilesMoralesSpiderMan Bombshell]] finally has Diamondback at her mercy. Just one explosion would blow up her head, and avenge her boyfriend. But instead, she decides to let her go.
* Maddie is a late addition to ''ComicBook/RatQueens'' and is considered a hanger-on at best. When the Once and Future King appears to arrest the Queens for a show trial and execution, he simply boots Maddie off-panel.
* In modern ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' stories, Brainiac's MO is to [[PlanetLooters shrink and steal the major populated cities of planets]] and then [[PlanetDestroyer destroy them]] so only he would possess that world's knowledge and culture. When he stole the city of Kandor from Krypton, he simply left without destroying it. Brainiac was able to detect the seismic activity that would destroy Krypton shortly after his own arrival, so he simply left the planet to its fate.

* A variation happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' When Dr. Venture, Pete White, and Billy Quizboy accidentally find Sphinx's headquarters, they wipe Billy's memory of the encounter, but not Pete's. When he asks why, this is Col. Gathers' response:

* In the sequel, ''sequel'' series ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'', there is a less-lethal example. A group of former villains who call themselves "The Vengers" are trying to subvert Ben and become the city's superheroes instead of him. Ben not only ''doesn't'' take them seriously, but he also doesn't even bother trying to prove them wrong or compete with them. He instead chooses to sit on the sidelines and watch as they tear each other apart.

* Following the ''ComicBook/FatalAttractionsMarvelComics'' storyline, Lady Deathstrike confronted Characters/{{Wolverine|JamesLoganHowlett}} in another attempt to regain what she thought was her father's adamantium (as she long believed that the process used to graft the adamantium to Logan's bones were what her father used), only to be surprised at how weak Logan is and that his adamantium is gone. She decides to leave the battle and wait until Logan is better to exact her revenge.

** In one episode of the original series, after Kevin went around committing crimes and placing the blame on Ben, they end up in a showdown on a bridge. At one point, Kevin shifts back to his normal human form on accident and [[SwordOverHead is completely at Ben's mercy]], who is still using Fourarms. It seems like he's about to crush his skull with a well-placed fist or two but instead hits right next to him before walking away, remarking that Kevin's not worth it and never was. This, however, doesn't end up going well for him as he ends up needing to be saved by the guy who's been hunting him down the entire time due to Kevin's rage and hatred at being told this causing him to go OneWingedAngel.

* ''{{Literature/Wulfrik}}'': At the end of the book, Wulfrik decides not to kill Viglundr. Not that the man doesn't deserve it, but Wulfrik instead tells him that he's arranged a FlaseFlagOperation wherein the men hired for Viglundr's expedition think he's responsible for leaving them stranded in the Empire, and once they find their way back north, will attack him. Those who don't will still demand compensation for their dead soldiers, meaning Viglundr won't be able to hire defenders, dooming his city and destroying the work of several generations of his line. [[spoiler:Even offering to let Wulfrik marry Hjordis gets rejected, since unbeknownst to him Wulfrik had already been forced to kill her]].

* Near the end of ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'', Tarzan engages into a fight against [[EvilPoacher Clayton]] for fatally shooting Kerchak (the leader of the apes); even grabbing Clayton's gun and threatening to shoot him down with it. However, rather than begging for mercy, [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred Clayton instead taunts Tarzan to shoot him and be a 'real man']]. Tarzan responds by imitating a gunshot before breaking the gun in half, angrily declaring that he's not like Clayton and that he will never be.

* Near the end of ''WesternAnimation/Tarzan'', Tarzan engages into a fight against [[EvilPoacher Clayton]] for fatally shooting Kerchak (the leader of the apes); even grabbing Clayton's gun and threatening to shoot him down with it. However, rather than begging for mercy, [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred Clayton instead taunts Tarzan to shoot him and be a 'real man']]. Tarzan responds by imitating a gunshot before breaking the gun in half, angrily declaring that he's not like Clayton and that he will never be.