History Main / PleaseSpareHimMyLiege

->''"Execution, Execution, Execution, Execution, Execution...tough guy."''
-->-- '''[[Creator/MelBrooks Jacques]]''', while searching for a pardon form in the desk of King Louis XVI, ''Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI''

But it's usually more successful if done in the form of ego stroking ("Surely such a great king as yourself is wise enough...", "How could he possibly pose a threat to someone so great...?") or noting the [[SlaveToPR good PR]] it will bring ("Everyone would know what a kind sovereign you are...") than by trying to appeal to any good nature ("If you just listen to your heart..."). Even if they agree, the prisoner may just be tossed into TheAlcatraz instead ([[Literature/TheVicomteDeBragelonne Iron Mask]] optional). A character who begs this way will be AintTooProudToBeg.

* The climax of the classic English poem ''[[http://www.literaryplaces.co.uk/?p=351/ Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight]]'' is this appeal to Oliver Cromwell. The poem is itself based on an apparently true story, though it took place during the UsefulNotes/TheWarsOfTheRoses instead of the UsefulNotes/EnglishCivilWar.

* The first book of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has this toward the end, with [[spoiler:Sansa (unsuccessfully) begging Joffrey to spare her father]]. She learns from her mistakes by the second book, and when Joffrey decides in a fit of rage to execute Ser Dontos for showing up drunk at a tournament, Sansa convinces Joffrey to spare him by [[BriarPatching suggesting that it would be crueler]] to turn him into a court jester.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' have feudal relationships as one of background themes, so this situation appeared too. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030115 Agatha begs the Baron to spare Dr. Beetle]].[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090429 Zola begs Agatha to spare Gil]] (her only really nice moment). [[SubvertedTrope Not that either attempt was really necessary]]; the Baron considered Beetle too useful to execute even if he ''had'' committed treason (and was rather annoyed when Gil ended up semi-accidentally killing Beetle in self-defense) and Gil is Agatha's LoveInterest.

* On ''Series/LoisAndClark'', Lois and Clark go back to medieval times to break a curse that a prior version of Tempus had put on them. Lois becomes Lady Loisette and Clark is "The Fox," a Zorro-like character. When Tempus threatens to kill The Fox, Lady Loisette pledges that if Tempus spares him, she will marry him and be a "faithful" wife (since she is royalty, this means never, ever opposing him nor seeing The Fox again.)

* Pictured: In ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles'', when Louis XV wants to execute André for MarieAntoinette's accident. She recovers, and successfully persuades the king that André did nothing wrong.

But it's usually more successful if done in the form of ego stroking ("Surely such a great king as yourself is wise enough...", "How could he possibly pose a threat to someone so great...?") or noting the [[SlaveToPR good PR]] it will bring ("Everyone would know what a kind sovereign you are...") than by trying to appeal to any good nature ("If you just listen to your heart..."). Even if they agree, the prisoner may just be tossed into TheAlcatraz instead ([[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers Iron Mask]] optional). A character who begs this way will be AintTooProudToBeg.

* In the episode of ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' "Shindig," Mal sword fights a man and is about to lose, but Inara tells that man that she will accept his offer to stay with him if he spares Mal's life.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' has an example during [[spoiler:the Dominion's occupation of the station.]] Dukat's (naive) daughter comes to him looking for a pardon for a friend caught trying to commit sabotage on a military base. Despite a full pardon for an enemy saboteur during a war being a relatively ''outlandish'' request (which she can't seem to grasp), Dukat's reaction (criminals are enemies of the state, they never deserve mercy) finally convinces her he really is one of the bad guys.

** Sansa pleads with Joffrey to exercise mercy in his treatment of Ned. It fails. Though Joffrey says before Sansa pleaded for Ned's life, he was going to have Ned hung, drawn, and quartered before he beheaded him.
** King Joffrey is annoyed when [[FailureKnight Ser Dontos Holland]] turns up drunk for his birthday tourney, so orders him drowned in a cast of wine. Aware of [[OffWithHisHead what happened last time]] she begged Joffrey for mercy, Sansa Stark convinces him it will be more humiliating to make Dontos his fool.

* Pocahontas famously begged her father, the chief of the Powhatan, to spare the life of colonist John Smith in 1607 Virginia. Of course, depending on who you ask, the whole thing might have been a sort of initiation ritual, or Smith might have made the whole thing up in order to give Pocahontas a hero's welcome on her trip to England.

But it's usually more successful if done in the form of ego stroking ("Surely such a great king as yourself is wise enough...", "How could he possibly pose a threat to someone so great...?") or noting the [[SlaveToPR good PR]] it will bring ("Everyone would know what a kind sovereign you are...") than by trying to appeal to any good nature ("If you just listen to your heart..."). Even if they agree, the prisoner may just be tossed into TheAlcatraz instead ([[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers Iron Mask]] optional). A character who begs this way will be AintToProudToBeg.

But it's usually more successful if done in the form of ego stroking ("Surely such a great king as yourself is wise enough...", "How could he possibly pose a threat to someone so great...?") or noting the [[SlaveToPR good PR]] it will bring ("Everyone would know what a kind sovereign you are...") than by trying to appeal to any good nature ("If you just listen to your heart..."). Even if they agree, the prisoner may just be tossed into TheAlcatraz instead ([[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers Iron Mask]] optional).

* ''Fanfic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen's]] crime of [[spoiler:panda genocide]] is exposed (in the middle of his wedding, no less), Gongmen City's entire council condemns him to be executed and Shen's devastated parents seem to have no choice but to go along with it. Lady Lianne, Shen's beloved, arrives to speak on Shen's behalf, kneels in her wedding dress and begs in a teary way for Shen to be exiled instead, hoping that he'd repent and be able to return. Unfortunately, Shen is unaware of what Lianne did for him and believes her to have simply forgotten him during his following thirty years in exile, resulting in him imprisoning her when he retakes Gongmen as per canon and desiring vengeance on her as well. When he's finally told of what Lianne did to save him, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he feels remorseful]] for his treatment of her and fully reawakens his love for her [[spoiler:([[SparedByTheAdaptation which saves him in the end]])]].

* Kurumi attempts this in ''Manga/HaouAiren'', on behalf of [[spoiler: Reilan]] when [[spoiler: Hakuron decides to shoot her dead for ''setting Kurumi up to be gang raped''.]] [[spoiler: To say it fails is, well, an UnderStatement.]]

* In Film/TheManInTheIronMask, D'artagnan pleads with King Louis to spare the life of [[spoiler: his twin brother, Philippe]], doing so in the name of his long years of devoted service, during which he never Louis asked for ''anything''. [[spoiler: It doesn't work, but Philippe escapes death via an inspired bit of BriarPatching, and is instead thrown in jail, where he is swiftly rescued by Aramais, Athos, Porthos, as well as D'artagnan, who has undergone a FaceHeelTurn]].

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'' [[spoiler:Severus Snape tried to do this in regards to [[TheLostLenore Lily Evans]] after she became [[BigBad Lord Voldemort's]] primary target (along with her husband and son).]] [[spoiler: It didn't work, although it should be noted that Voldemort would have been willing to spare her for Snape if she had just let him murder her baby. [[TheSociopath This is his idea of an honest, good-faith attempt to keep his end of the bargain]].]]

** Merlin also begs Arthur to change his mind about [[spoiler: banishing Gwen.]] It doesn't work.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' has an example during [[spoiler: the Dominion's occupation of the station.]] Dukat's (naive) daughter comes to him looking for a pardon for a friend caught trying to commit sabotage on a military base. Despite a full pardon for an enemy saboteur during a war being a relatively ''outlandish'' request (which she can't seem to grasp), Dukat's reaction (criminals are enemies of the state, they never deserve mercy) finally convinces her he really is one of the bad guys.

* Leonora in Verdi's ''Il Trovatore'', for her beloved Manrico's life. Count di Luna refuses to spare his rival until she agrees to be his. [[spoiler: ([[DrivenToSuicide She never says she'll be alive for it]], though.)]]

* ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' has an example during [[spoiler: the Dominion's occupation of the station.]] Dukat's (naive) daughter comes to him looking for a pardon for a friend caught trying to commit sabotage on a military base. Despite a full pardon for an enemy saboteur during a war being a relatively ''outlandish'' request (which she can't seem to grasp), Dukat's reaction (criminals are enemies of the state, they never deserve mercy) finally convinces her he really is one of the bad guys.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

* Roman dictator Sulla once ordered a number of political enemies killed, among them young UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar. When his followers reacted with this trope (Caesar was very young then), he stated that they had to be unintelligent [[GenreSavvy if they failed to see any danger in the boy]]. Caesar still survived, and the rest is history.

* Roman dictator Sulla once ordered a number of political enemies killed, among them young Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar. When his followers reacted with this trope (Caesar was very young then), he stated that they had to be unintelligent [[GenreSavvy if they failed to see any danger in the boy]]. Caesar still survived, and the rest is history.

* During the course of ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron'' fic ''Fanfic/HopeForTheHeartless'', [[AllLovingHeroine Avalina]] ends up several times begging [[VillainProtagonist the Horned King]] (her imprisoner who's been [[ResurrectedForAJob resurrected]]) not to kill or hurt several other characters.

* ''Film/TheOtherBoleynGirl'': Mary pleads with King Henry VIII to spare her sister Anne because,as her sister, Anne is one half of Mary. He doesn't want to hurt her, but [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready you know how it ends]].

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' have feudal relationships as one of background themes, so this situation appeared too. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20030115 Agatha begs the Baron to spare Dr. Beetle]].[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090429 Zola begs Agatha to spare Gil]] (her only really nice moment). [[SubvertedTrope Not that either attempt was really necessary]]; the Baron considered Beetle too useful to execute even if he ''had'' committed treason (and was rather annoyed when Gil ended up semi-accidentally killing Beetle in self-defence) and Gil is Agatha's LoveInterest.

* Pictured: In ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles'', when Louis [=XVth=] wants to execute André for MarieAntoinette's accident. She recovers, and successfully pleads the king that Andre did nothing wrong.
** ''WebAnimation/RoseOfVersaillesAbridged'' spoofs this. Marie tries it as a JediMindTrick; the King is only partly affected, but he sighs and lets Andre go anyway.

* Kurumi attempts this in ''Manga/HaouAiren'', on behalf of [[spoiler: Reilan]] when [[spoiler: Hakuron decides to shoot her dead for ''setting Kurumi up to be gangraped''.]] [[spoiler: To say it fails is, well, an UnderStatement.]]

* ''Fanfic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen's]] crime of [[spoiler:panda genocide]] is exposed -- in the middle of his wedding, no less --, Gongmen City's entire council condemns him to be executed and Shen's devastated parents seem to have no choice but to go along with it. Lady Lianne, Shen's beloved, arrives to speak on Shen's behalf, kneels in her wedding dress and begs in a teary way for Shen to be exiled instead, hoping that he'd repent and be able to return. Unfortunately, Shen is unaware of what Lianne did for him and believes her to have simply forgotten him during his following thirty years in exile, resulting in him imprisoning her when he retakes Gongmen as per canon and desiring vengeance on her as well. When he's finally told of what Lianne did to save him, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he feels remorseful]] for his treatment of her and fully reawakens his love for her [[spoiler:([[SparedByTheAdaptation which saves him in the end]])]].

** When the Horned King intends to kill Taran and have his revenge for his downfall, Avalina [[GoThroughMe comes between them]] and begs the lich to stop. After internal struggling, the Horned King acknowledges that he owes the pig-keeper for saving Avalina [[LimaSyndrome whom he has come to genuinely care for]], repays the debt in his own way (by putting back in place Taran's shoulder the lich dislocated) and leaves with Avalina.

* Maid Marian in the Disney animated version of ''Disney/RobinHood'' pleads with Prince John for Robin's life when he is captured after the archery contest.

* ''Film/TheOtherBoleynGirl'': Mary pleads with King Henry VIII to spare her sister Anne because as her sister Anne is one half of Mary. He doesn't want to hurt her but [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready you know how it ends]].

* In ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': the sister of Turgon, King of Gondolin, is wounded by her husband Eöl; she manages to convince Turgon to spare him. Since she dies in the night (the weapon was poisoned), Turgon is not so merciful in the end...

* In ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' King Uther is tricked into beliving that his son Arthur has been placed under an enchantment by Guinevere, and orders her burnt at the stake as a witch. Arthur begs for her life, but the more hysterical he gets, the more Uther is convinced that he's truly under a spell.
** Twice, Arthur begs Uther to spare a man, once with Gwaine and once with Lancelot. The result is exile for both.

* In the episode of ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' "Shindig" Mal sword fights a man and is about to lose but Inara tells that man that she will accept his offer to stay with him if he spares Mal's life.

* StarTrekDeepSpaceNine has an example during [[spoiler: the Dominion's occupation of the station.]] Dukat's (naive) daughter comes to him looking for a pardon for a friend caught trying to commit sabotage on a military base. Despite a full pardon for an enemy saboteur during a war being a relatively ''outlandish'' request (which she can't seem to grasp), Dukat's reaction (criminals are enemies of the state, they never deserve mercy) finally convinces her he really is one of the bad guys.

** Jaime Lannister asks his father and DragonInChief Lord Tywin Lannister to spare [[TheUnfavorite Tyrion]]'s life when he looks certain of being convicted by the KangarooCourt in which Tywin is acting as chief judge. Tywin claims his hands are tied until Jaime (the sole male heir if Tyrion dies) agrees to leave the Kingsguard (who are sworn not to take a wife or hold titles) and carry on the Lannister dynasty. Tywin agrees so quickly [[ManipulativeBastard it implies he was aiming for this result all along]].

** Although this same God agreed to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if 50 righteous people were found living in it. Abraham (who was pleading for the life of the city) was able to negotiate God down to 10 righteous people. Unfortunately, the only halfway decent person living in the city was Lot and his family (and even [[ValuesDissonance he offered his virgin daughters as rape-toys to his violent neighbors]] in order to save the lives of a couple of houseguests.) Needless to say, Sodom and Gomorrah didn't stand a chance.

** In ''Theatre/MeasureForMeasure,'' aspiring nun Isabella goes to Angelo - the temporary ruler of Vienna - to beg for her brother Claudio to be spared a death sentence for violating an old blue law decreeing death for any man who impregnates a woman out of wedlock. Angelo's offer to spare Claudio in exchange for Isbella's virginity fuels the main plot of the play.

** In ''Henry V'' it is {{Inverted}}: the conspirators against Henry argue ''against'' mercy for an enemy of the king, so that when he reveals their guilt Henry takes immense delight in telling them that [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor they have convinced him that mercy is a bad idea.]]
** Also in ''HenryV'', Pistol pleads for the life of Bardolph, who has been sentenced to death for looting a church. Both Fluellen and Henry refuse to pardon him.
* Leonora in Verdi's ''Il Trovatore'', for her beloved Manrico's life. Count di Luna is all "GTFO, I'll never spare my rival" till she offers she'll be his. [[spoiler: [[DrivenToSuicide She never said *alive*]], though.]]

* Katherine of Aragon, UsefulNotes/HenryVIII's first wife, successfully pleaded for the lives of the perpetrators of the Evil May Day massacre, when she saw how devastated their families were by the death sentence. In spite of the fact that the victims were mostly Spanish aliens, and she was a Spanish princess.
** A couple decades later, the same king received a similar plea from a later queen, Jane Seymour, for the rebels in the Pilgrimage of Grace. Unfortunately, Henry had changed considerably since the "Evil May Day" incident, and this time, the plea was not as well received...

* In ''HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'', Iolaus tries the second form with Hercules's EvilCounterpart. It seems to work, because that made the evil Hercules laugh, but he executes the prisoner anyway.