History Main / PoisonousCaptive

* In the aptly-named movie ''SuicideKings'', a bunch of amateurs kidnap retired mafia boss ChristopherWalken for somewhat convoluted reasons. Needless to say, Walken turns them all against each other in record time.
* ''TeachingMrsTingle'' essentially uses this as a plot framework.

* ''RuthlessPeople'' at first, till it turns into AMatchMadeInStockholm.

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* John Harrison [[spoiler: (Khan)]] from ''{{Star Trek Into Darkness}}''. After being locked in the ''Enterprise's'' brig, he almost immediately starts working on Kirk, needling him psychologically, feeding him information as it suited [[PapaWolf his]] [[RoaringRampageofRevenge purposes]], and eventually ending up in an {{Enemy Mine}} situation with the ''Enterprise'' crew, rather than just remaining a prisoner.

* In ''Film/TheAvengers'' movie, [[spoiler: Loki]] is captured early on. Despite the team's best preventive efforts, it ends spectacularly poorly.

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* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': In ''Descent'', a captive Borg actually ''succeeds'' in turning Data against the Federation.

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All in all, it's a good reason to ignore ThouShaltNotKill, but the typical reason for keeping him around is that the villain has some kind of information the heroes need desperately enough for it to be worth the risk. In some cases, murder would be counterproductive or even impossible, if the captive is immortal.

* SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker on the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "MadLove", who was able to talk his psychiatrist Harlene Quinzel into becoming HarleyQuinn while still in Arkham. It was implied early in the episode that he compromised the ones before her in a similar fashion.

* In ''{{U-571}}'', the German submarine prisoner continuously causes problems for the American crew, until he is killed.

Captured doesn't necessarily mean cowed. A Poisonous Captive is a villain held prisoner by the heroes who continues to undermine their objectives through their toxic influence. They have a tendency to spark disagreements between allies (up to and including the spread of a HatePlague), [[HannibalLecture use their captivity to shake the good guys' confidence in themselves]] or to make them feel uneasy by virtue of being closer around than they were as a free agent. Despite the heroes' best efforts, it's usually difficult to keep the villain in the dark about everything that's going on or prevent them from divining weak spots, so the longer they're held the more of a danger they pose, especially should they escape -- meaning it's all but inevitable that they will.

May be a result of ISurrenderSuckers. Compare PityTheKidnapper, a comedic version (which usually involves villains as captors rather than heroes), MightAsWellNotBeInPrisonAtAll, and SealedEvilInACan. The inverted, heroic version often falls under TalkingYourWayOut.

* In ''Film/TheAvengers'' movie, [[spoiler: Loki]] iscaptured early on. Despite the team's best preventive efforts, it ends spectacularly poorly.

Captured doesn't necessarily mean cowed. A Poisonous Captive is a villain held prisoner by the heroes who continues to undermine their objectives through their toxic influence. They have a tendency to spark disagreements between allies (up to and including the spread of a HatePlague), to [[BreakThemByTalking shake the good guys' confidence in themselves]], or to make them feel uneasy by virtue of being closer around than they were as a free agent. Despite the heroes' best efforts, it's usually difficult to keep the villain in the dark about everything that's going on or prevent them from divining weak spots, so the longer they're held the more of a danger they pose, especially should they escape -- meaning it's all but inevitable that they will.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' has Envy, when he was trapped in a flask. He was able to play on May Chang's fear for her clan and talk her into going back instead of taking him to Xing, which allowed him to escape and obtain a second Philosopher's Stone.

* The Thing Behind the Wall in ''JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac''. Nny has to keep it trapped by keeping the wall covered in fresh blood, which naturally does wonders for his already fragile sanity. Then the Thing gives two Styrofoam dolls in Nny's apartment sentience, the idea being that they'd persuade him to commit suicide and thus release it.
* In ''DarkEmpire'', Luke Skywalker tries a version of this on the Reborn Emperor. He does ''some'' good, but ultimately gets corrupted and needs his sister to talk him around.

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' the imprisoned Joker manages to blow up the jail and works on a cop's psyche until he breaks out.

* SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker on the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "MadLove", who was able to talk his psychiatrist Harlene Quinzel into becoming HarleyQuinn while still in Arkham. And it was implied early in the episode that he compromised the ones before her in a similar fashion.
* Batman does this in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', when captured by Lex Luthor's villainous team. [[spoiler: He bribes Ultra Humanite to save the Justice League from Luthor's plan and take down the team from the inside, frames the perfectly innocent Cheetah as his accomplice, drives a wedge between team members and generally makes a nuisance of himself, all while restrained. And then, as the kicker, reveals in the climax that he could have escaped at any time but stuck around 'to keep an eye on' the Injustice Gang.]]

Captured doesn't necessarily mean cowed. A Poisonous Captive is a villain held prisoner by the heroes who continues to undermine their objectives through their toxic influence. They have a tendency to spark disagreements between allies (up to and including the spread of a HatePlague), to [[BreakThemByTalking shake the good guys' confidence in themselves]] [[HannibalLecture just by talking]], or just to make them feel uneasy by virtue of being closer around than they were as a free agent. Despite the heroes' best efforts, it's usually difficult to keep the villain in the dark about everything that's going on or prevent them from divining weak spots, so the longer they're held the more of a danger they pose, especially should they escape -- meaning it's all but inevitable that they will.

Particularly dangerous cases may pose the threat of a hero's untimely [[TheCorrupter corruption]], if they start listening to the villain's [[WisdomFromTheGutter cynical-but-persuasive advice]], buying into their [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans justifications]] [[IDidWhatIHadToDo for]] [[AboveGoodAndEvil evil]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist deeds]], or being tempted by offers made in exchange for freedom.

Makes a pretty good case against ThouShaltNotKill, but the typical reason for keeping him around is that the villain has some kind of information the heroes need desperately enough for it to be worth the risk. In some cases, murder would be counterproductive or even impossible, if the captive is immortal.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' has Envy, when he was trapped in a flask. He was able to play on May Chang's fear for her clan and talk her into going back instead of taking him to Xing, which allowed him to get free and obtain a second Philosopher's Stone.

* In ''Film/TheAvengers'' movie, [[spoiler: Loki]] gets captured quite early on. Despite the team's best preventive efforts, it ends spectacularly poorly.

* John Harrison [[spoiler: (Khan)]] from ''{{StarTrekIntoDarkness}}''. After being locked in the ''Enterprise's'' brig, he almost immediately starts working on Kirk, needling him psychologically, feeding him information as it suited [[PapaWolf his]] [[RoaringRampageofRevenge purposes]], and eventually ending up in an {{Enemy Mine}} situation with the ''Enterprise'' crew, rather than just remaining a prisoner.

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. Morgoth turns the Noldor against each other in Valinor once he was released from captivity. Later, Sauron ended up corrupting and destroying the Numenoreans after they captured him.

* This is why the Brotherhood is trying to control The Darkness instead of destroying it in ''VideoGame/The Darkness 2''. [[spoiler: The Brotherhood captured The darkness and guarded it for decades. And it kept talking to them until they eventually decided that destroying the world was the only way to save it.]]
* At the end of ''VideoGame/Diablo'', the titular BigBad is imprisoned in a crystal which is fused with the hero's body and mind, as Diablo simply cannot be killed. Cue the second game, where the hero is [[spoiler:completely overtaken by Diablo who wears his body like a cloak. While this counts as Main/DemonicPossession, it is implied that the process was gradual and did not rely solely on magic, but also at least partially on the personal influence and inherent malice of the demon.]] The same story also happened in the past with [[spoiler:Tal Rasha and Baal]].

* [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lecter]] is at least the TropeCodifier if not the TropeMaker in regards to film.

* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', the heroes captured no fewer than three Forsaken individually, and between them they covered just about all of the risks inherent to this trope. Asmodean was (sort of) on Rand's side, so the danger he posed was mostly just if word got out about who he really was, but you have to question the wisdom of keeping around a character like [[TortureTechnician Semirhage]].
** Nor was that the first instance of Semirhage fulfilling the trope. During the War of Power she was once captured by the forces of Light. By speech alone she terrified her guards so badly that they smuggled her out of captivity rather than face the tortures she threatened them with.
* [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lecter]]. Not for nothing was he the HannibalLecture's TropeNamer.
* ''TheSilmarillion''. Morgoth turns the Noldor against each other in Valinor once he was released from captivity. Later, Sauron ended up corrupting and destroying the Numenoreans after they captured him.

* Spike tended to be this when held by the Scoobies in season four of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.
* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'' season 4 Angelus did this to the crew of Angel Investigations.

* Nate Haskell (Bill Irwin) on ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* Simeon on ''Series/StargateUniverse''.

* [[SerialKiller Sylar]] to [[TheProfessor Mohinder]] in the ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' episode "Parasite."

* The entire premise of ''Video/BatmanArkhamAsylum''.

* At the end of ''Diablo'', the titular BigBad is imprisoned in a crystal which is fused with the hero's body and mind, as Diablo simply cannot be killed. Cue the second game, where the hero is [[spoiler:completely overtaken by Diablo who wears his body like a cloak. While this counts as Main/DemonicPossession, it is implied that the process was gradual and did not rely solely on magic, but also at least partially on the personal influence and inherent malice of the demon.]] The same story also happened in the past with [[spoiler:Tal Rasha and Baal]].

* Hands down, Cyndi from ''Webcomic/PennyAndAggie''. [[spoiler:She manipulated her captor into attempting suicide.]] What's ''not'' poisonous about her?

** Batman himself has also done this to teams that the Joker has been on (though the Joker saw it coming).
* Batman also does this in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', when captured by Lex Luthor's villainous team. [[spoiler: He bribes Ultra Humanite to save the Justice League from Luthor's plan and take down the team from the inside, frames the perfectly innocent Cheetah as his accomplice, drives a wedge between team members and generally makes a nuisance of himself, all while restrained. And then, as the kicker, reveals in the climax that he could have escaped at any time but stuck around 'to keep an eye on' the Injustice Gang.]]

* In the remake of ''3:10 to Yuma'', Ben Wade kills off his captors one-by-one as he's transported to the train station. They're all too nice to plug him on the spot.

Captured doesn't necessarily mean cowed. A Poisonous Captive is a villain held prisoner by the heroes who continues to undermine their objectives through their toxic influence. They have a tendency to spark disagreements between allies (up to and including the spread of a HatePlague), to shake the good guys' confidence in themselves [[HannibalLecture just by talking]], or just to make them feel uneasy by virtue of being closer around than they were as a free agent. Despite the heroes' best efforts, it's usually difficult to keep the villain in the dark about everything that's going on or prevent them from divining weak spots, so the longer they're held the more of a danger they pose, especially should they escape -- meaning it's all but inevitable that they will.

* ''TheSilmarillion''. Sauron ended up corrupting and destroying the Numenoreans after they captured him.

* The Thing Behind the Wall in ''{{Johnny the Homicidal Maniac}}''. Nny has to keep it trapped by keeping the wall covered in fresh blood, which naturally does wonders for his already fragile sanity. Then the Thing gives two Styrofoam dolls in Nny's apartment sentience, the idea being that they'd persuade him to commit suicide and thus release it.

* In ''{{The Wheel of Time}}'', the heroes captured no fewer than three Forsaken individually, and between them they covered just about all of the risks inherent to this trope. Asmodean was (sort of) on Rand's side, so the danger he posed was mostly just if word got out about who he really was, but you have to question the wisdom of keeping around a character like [[TortureTechnician Semirhage]].

* Spike tended to be this when held by the Scoobies in season four of ''Series/{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}''.

* Nate Haskell (Bill Irwin) on ''{{CSI}}''.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker}}'' the player can capture Zadornov and keep him in a cell in an attempt to convince him to join your cause. Ultimately, he breaks out numerous times and goes into hiding, forcing Big Boss to waste time locating and recapturing him each time. [[spoiler: Each time he escapes, he's been released by Paz, who's using him to divert attention while she makes modifications to Metal Gear ZEKE.]]

* This was [[BigBad Faden]]'s entire schtick in ''{{Exiern}}''. He was captured a couple of strips in, spent almost the entire time in captivity and still proved to be an effective villain.

* TheJoker on the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "MadLove", who was able to talk his psychiatrist Harlene Quinzel into becoming HarleyQuinn while still in Arkham. And it was implied early in the episode that he compromised the ones before her in a similar fashion.

* ''SoulEater'''s [[FilleFatale Medusa]], for the brief time she ''was'' imprisoned, did absolutely nothing for [[TheWoobie Crona]] or Maka's peace of mind.

* In ''TheDarkKnight'' the imprisoned Joker manages to blow up the jail and works on a cop's psyche until he breaks out.

* In ''{{Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker}}'' the player can capture Zadornov and keep him in a cell in an attempt to convince him to join your cause. Ultimately, he breaks out numerous times and goes into hiding, forcing Big Boss to waste time locating and recapturing him each time. [[spoiler: Each time he escapes, he's been released by Paz, who's using him to divert attention while she makes modifications to Metal Gear ZEKE.]]
* The entire premise of ''ArkhamAsylum''.

* Hands down, Cyndi from ''PennyAndAggie''. [[spoiler:She manipulated her captor into attempting suicide.]] What's ''not'' poisonous about her?

* TheJoker on the ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "MadLove", who was able to talk his psychiatrist Harlene Quinzel into becoming HarleyQuinn while still in Arkham. And it was implied early in the episode that he compromised the ones before her in a similar fashion.