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* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': In Alternate-1985, Marty confronts Biff about the GraysSportsAlmanac while he's bathing in a hot tub with two bimbos, and he tells them to leave so he can talk to Marty privately about the TimeTravel behind his wealth.

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* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': In Alternate-1985, Marty confronts Biff about [[TimelineAlteringMacGuffin the GraysSportsAlmanac Gray's Sports Almanac]] while he's bathing in a hot tub with two bimbos, and he tells them to leave so he can talk to Marty privately about the TimeTravel behind his wealth.
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* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Quentyn Martell, posing as a sellsword, asks Queen Daenerys to clear her audience chamber before revealing that he's actually a prince of Dorne there to propose a marriage alliance.


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** Yara shows her control over the unruly Ironborn when she dismisses her men with a quiet, "Leave us", so she can give her brother a WhatTheHellHero speech.
** On a couple of occasions Lord Tywin Lannister dismisses his underlings, but as his son Tyrion gets up to leave adds a quiet, "Not you."
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* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': In [[Recap/FuturamaS1E4LovesLaborsLostInSpace "Love's Labours Lost in Space"]], at a club, Fry finds a woman that he hits it off with and gives his roommate Bender some money to see a "saucy puppet show" (Bender's earlier outing suggestion) so he and the woman can some alone time at their apartment.

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* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': In [[Recap/FuturamaS1E4LovesLaborsLostInSpace "Love's Labours Lost in Space"]], at a club, Fry finds meets a woman that he hits it off with and gives his roommate Bender some money to see a "saucy puppet show" (Bender's earlier outing suggestion) so he and the woman can some alone time at their apartment.
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* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': In [[Recap/FuturamaS1E4LovesLaborsLostInSpace "Love's Labours Lost in Space"]], at a club, Fry finds a woman that he hits it off with and gives his roommate Bender some money to see a "saucy puppet show" (Bender's earlier outing suggestion) so he and the woman can some alone time at their apartment.
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* In the ''Series/NightCourt2023'' episode "The Apartment", Abby has had a very long day, between the normal stresses of her job and finding out that her boyfriend has had to cancel plans to visit her, but she is trying ''very hard'' to keep her usual sunny disposition and not to lose her temper. And then she learns that her attempt to get a new and better apartment has fallen through because her prospective landlord hates judges. Dan and Gurgs happen to be in her chambers as this happens, so she asks them to leave. The camera cuts to outside her chambers, where you can hear a guttural scream of rage.
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* {{Parodied}} in ''Film/AustinPowersInGoldmember''. When Dr. Evil's son starts becoming evil himself, Dr. Evil shouts how it's getting a little crowded in the submarine deck they're all in and orders everyone to leave. Everyone starts getting up, but Dr. Evil then starts saying "Not you" followed by various people. By the time he's saying who doesn't have to leave, only Mini-Me hasn't been ordered to stay, making it apparent who Dr. Evil wants out of the room.

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* {{Parodied}} {{Parodied|Trope}} in ''Film/AustinPowersInGoldmember''.''Film/AustinPowers in Goldmember''. When Dr. Evil's son starts becoming evil himself, Dr. Evil shouts how it's getting a little crowded in the submarine deck they're all in and orders everyone to leave. Everyone starts getting up, but Dr. Evil then starts saying "Not you" followed by various people. By the time he's saying who doesn't have to leave, only Mini-Me hasn't been ordered to stay, making it apparent who Dr. Evil wants out of the room.



* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. When Detective Angela Dodson arrives at the hospital to see her sister's body, her detective friend says to the other police personnel "Give us the room, please." and they all leave so he can talk with Angela privately.

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* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. ''Film/Constantine2005'': When Detective Angela Dodson arrives at the hospital to see her sister's body, her detective friend says to the other police personnel "Give us the room, please." and they all leave so he can talk with Angela privately.
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* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': The novel ''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' has an example where the people asked to leave ''are'' offended. When Salmissra tells the palace eunuchs to go away so she can have a private conversation with Belgarath, one of them complains. Salmissra tells him he's welcome to stay--but then he'll have to be killed.

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* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': The novel ''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' has an example where the people asked to leave ''are'' offended. When Salmissra tells the palace eunuchs to go away so she can have a private conversation with Belgarath, one of them complains. Salmissra tells him he's welcome to stay--but stay--[[IdTellYouButThenIdHaveToKillYou but then he'll have to be killed.killed]].
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If the narrative focus follows the banished characters while the asker and someone else collaborate a scheme offscreen, and later that scheme is successful, that overlaps with UnspokenPlanGuarantee.

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If the narrative focus follows the banished characters while the asker and someone else collaborate on a scheme offscreen, and later that scheme is successful, that overlaps with UnspokenPlanGuarantee.



* In ''Literature/TheGiver'', Jonas's parents ask his sister Lily to leave the room so they could talk to him about the Ceremony of Twelve, when he would be assigned a career. Creator/LoisLowry's {{dystopia}} is very tradition-bound and this is likely something children aren't supposed to be told about until they're of age.

to:

* In ''Literature/TheGiver'', Jonas's parents ask his sister Lily to leave the room so they could talk to him about the Ceremony of Twelve, Twelve when he would be assigned a career. Creator/LoisLowry's {{dystopia}} is very tradition-bound and this is likely something children aren't supposed to be told about until they're of age.



* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'': At the climax of "[[Recap/TheOfficeUSS4E12DidIStutter Did I Stutter?]]", Michael asks everyone in the room to leave following a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Stanley. Once they're alone, Michael tearfully asks Stanley why he keeps insulting him, to which Stanley responds that he doesn't respect him. Michael accepts this after regaining his composure, but asserts his authority by telling him not to do it again because he's his boss. Stanley agrees, implying a newfound amount of respect, albeit a small one.

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* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'': At the climax of "[[Recap/TheOfficeUSS4E12DidIStutter Did I Stutter?]]", Michael asks everyone in the room to leave following a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Stanley. Once they're alone, Michael tearfully asks Stanley why he keeps insulting him, to which Stanley responds that he doesn't respect him. Michael accepts this after regaining his composure, composure but asserts his authority by telling him not to do it again because he's his boss. Stanley agrees, implying a newfound amount of respect, albeit a small one.



*** Mission 2. Doss-V-DAN dismisses the rest of the mission group, tells the team leader that the opposition has MindControl powers and gives him a SuicidePill.

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*** Mission 2. Doss-V-DAN dismisses the rest of the mission group, tells the team leader that the opposition has MindControl powers powers, and gives him a SuicidePill.



** ''Vapors Never Shoot Back'' Mission 3. Briefing officer Gore-V-DAL has the rest of the Troubleshooters leave so he can give the team leader advice on how to carry out the mission and tell him the pass code to an armored door.

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** ''Vapors Never Shoot Back'' Mission 3. Briefing officer Gore-V-DAL has the rest of the Troubleshooters leave so he can give the team leader advice on how to carry out the mission and tell him the pass code passcode to an armored door.
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* ''WebAnimation/MinilifeTV'': In "The Final Match", when Snowball returns to Minilife Studios having learned that [[spoiler:his kind are treated as servants to their creators]], he confronts Chris and Ian for not telling him about it. Ian requests for Clair and Wilkins to leave the room so he and Chris can tell Snowball the truth and show him the Vampire Laws.

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* ''WebAnimation/MinilifeTV'': In "The "[[Recap/MinilifeTVSeason4Episode12 The Final Match", Match]]", when Snowball returns to Minilife Studios having learned that [[spoiler:his kind are treated as servants to their creators]], he confronts Chris and Ian for not telling him about it. Ian requests for Clair and Wilkins to leave the room so he and Chris can tell Snowball the truth and show him the Vampire Laws.
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junk special characters


* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations 2'': President Huang requested a private meeting with Judge Courtney without his bodyguards shortly before he was found dead in a nearby film lot. [[spoiler:It?s later discovered that he was planning to kill Courtney to keep his true identity as the real president?s BodyDouble a secret.]]

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* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations 2'': President Huang requested a private meeting with Judge Courtney without his bodyguards shortly before he was found dead in a nearby film lot. [[spoiler:It?s [[spoiler:It's later discovered that he was planning to kill Courtney to keep his true identity as the real president?s president's BodyDouble a secret.]]
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* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': In Alternate-1985, Marty confronts Biff about the GraysSportsAlmanac while he's bathing in a hot tub with two bimbos, and he tells them to leave so he can talk to Marty.

to:

* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': In Alternate-1985, Marty confronts Biff about the GraysSportsAlmanac while he's bathing in a hot tub with two bimbos, and he tells them to leave so he can talk to Marty.Marty privately about the TimeTravel behind his wealth.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


See also TalkAboutThatThing and NotInFrontOfTheKid.

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See also TalkAboutThatThing and NotInFrontOfTheKid. Compare SteppingOutForAQuickCupOfCoffee, where the departing character leaves on their own initiative to give the others privacy.

Changed: 10

Removed: 758

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The focus of this trope is not the phrase itself, but how it's used for the purposes of [[RoomShuffle room-shuffling]]. When a character asks another character to leave so a private conversation can occur, the request is always important to the narrative, not just an unremarkable detail. Any suggestions on how to make this clearer in the description are welcome.

Some of the examples fail to specify how the room-shuffling is important to the plot. The most obviously unsupportive examples have been separated out for fixing.

From Tropers/StarSword: Since nobody seems interested in fixing the rejected examples, I've gone ahead and nuked them.
----



-->'''Booth:''' I need the room, guys.
-->'''Zack:''' The whole lab? For what?
-->'''Hodgins:''' It's a cop way of saying "get lost."

to:

-->'''Booth:''' I need the room, guys.
-->'''Zack:'''
guys.\\
'''Zack:'''
The whole lab? For what?
-->'''Hodgins:'''
what?\\
'''Hodgins:'''
It's a cop way of saying "get lost."



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!! Indices: {{Dialogue}}, ImageSource.ComicBooksAToL, QuoteSource.{{Literature}}, RoomShuffle

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!! Indices: {{Dialogue}}, ImageSource.ComicBooksAToL, QuoteSource.{{Literature}}, RoomShuffle
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Created from YKTTW

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The focus of this trope is not the phrase itself, but how it's used for the purposes of [[RoomShuffle room-shuffling]]. When a character asks another character to leave so a private conversation can occur, the request is always important to the narrative, not just an unremarkable detail. Any suggestions on how to make this clearer in the description are welcome.

Some of the examples fail to specify how the room-shuffling is important to the plot. The most obviously unsupportive examples have been separated out for fixing.

From Tropers/StarSword: Since nobody seems interested in fixing the rejected examples, I've gone ahead and nuked them.
----
%%
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%% This example list has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in correct alphabetical order.
%%
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[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/ArchieComics https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/38t003irqg441_jpg.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Manchild}} Boys will be boys...]]]]
->''"Remain if you wish, Kass. Know, however, that no one living will hear what passes between me and the Disciple of Aldur. Go and live -- or stay and die."''
-->-- '''Salmissra''', ''[[Literature/TheBelgariad Belgarath the Sorcerer]]''

A character, usually in film or TV, is in a place with two or more other characters. This character asks others to leave in order to have a private conversation with one or more characters in the room.

The banished characters are rarely offended at being excluded and dutifully leave when asked. This is sometimes ironic because the asker does not trust the banished characters enough to include them, but does trust that the banished characters will be understanding about being asked to leave.

This trope is extremely common in media, serving a necessary narrative purpose, but relatively rare in real life. In a story, it is common for characters Alice, Bob, and Carol to be in the same place. If Alice needs to be alone with Bob for dramatic effect, i.e., the writer needs to have Alice and Bob talk without Carol overhearing, then having Alice banish Carol is often the most efficient means to this end. Also, it is common for Alice to want a private word with Bob so as not to embarrass Bob by dressing him down in front of others.

In some cases, the characters who are asked to leave may become offended and refuse, or comply but become resentful. Thus, the trope becomes a way to generate tension and conflict among the characters.

Another variation on this trope occurs when Alice asks Bob to leave so that she can be alone, sometimes to die in peace. It may also happen in {{Law Procedural}}s after an unexpected development in a trial: the lawyer whose case was adversely affected will say something like "Your Honor, may I have a moment to confer with my client?" and then try to plea-bargain or make some other major shift in legal strategy. Yet another variation is for something to go badly wrong in the private room and set up a LockedRoomMystery.

If the narrative focus follows the banished characters while the asker and someone else collaborate a scheme offscreen, and later that scheme is successful, that overlaps with UnspokenPlanGuarantee.

This trope is very similar to TakeFive. The difference is that in Request for Privacy, Alice explicitly tells Carol that she wants Carol to leave so she can talk to Bob alone. In TakeFive, Alice does not explicitly tell Carol she needs to leave, and may [[SnipeHunt make a phony request]] for Carol, e.g., asking her to check on something that doesn't really need to be checked on.

See also TalkAboutThatThing and NotInFrontOfTheKid.
----

!!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'': Archie and Veronica are stuck babysitting her young cousin Leroy. Archie offers him a dollar to leave the room, and he accepts. Veronica is clearly hoping Archie wants privacy to make out with her, but [[{{Manchild}} he starts playing with Leroy's slot cars instead]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''WebVideo/ScootertrixTheAbridged:'' Pinkie Pie and Twilight are the only ones [[FourthWallObserver aware that they're characters in a cartoon series]], and [[TheWorldIsNotReady Pinkie doesn't want anyone else finding out]]. Whenever the two of them need to talk directly about the FourthWall, Pinkie will ask everyone else to give her and Twilight some privacy (as in episode 16), or just ask Twilight to step outside with her (as in episode 24).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': After Mufasa saves Simba from the hyenas, he requests Zazu to take Nala home so he can talk to his son alone. Simba tries to hide upon hearing this, fearing what his father will do to him, and Zazu wishes him good luck. Mufasa then gives him a stern talking to about how he's disappointed with his behavior and how he irresponsibly put Nala in danger.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* {{Parodied}} in ''Film/AustinPowersInGoldmember''. When Dr. Evil's son starts becoming evil himself, Dr. Evil shouts how it's getting a little crowded in the submarine deck they're all in and orders everyone to leave. Everyone starts getting up, but Dr. Evil then starts saying "Not you" followed by various people. By the time he's saying who doesn't have to leave, only Mini-Me hasn't been ordered to stay, making it apparent who Dr. Evil wants out of the room.
* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': In Alternate-1985, Marty confronts Biff about the GraysSportsAlmanac while he's bathing in a hot tub with two bimbos, and he tells them to leave so he can talk to Marty.
* ''Film/Batman1989'': Boss Grissom is having a council of war with Jack Napier and his advisers. When he makes a decision on what to do Grissom says "That's all, gentlemen" and shoos the advisers out. He then has a conversation with Jack where he asks him to take care of the problem (and sets him up to be taken out).
* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. When Detective Angela Dodson arrives at the hospital to see her sister's body, her detective friend says to the other police personnel "Give us the room, please." and they all leave so he can talk with Angela privately.
* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler tells everyone to leave except four generals (to be more precise, he says that those four will stay, implicitly telling everyone else to leave), then screams at them so loudly that everyone else in the bunker can hear him. This is the scene that the WebVideo/HitlerRants meme is made from.
* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': When Darth Vader brings Luke to Emperor Palpatine's throne room on the Death Star, Palpatine orders the guards to leave. His StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred ploy to turn Luke to the dark side would presumably have been less effective with the heavily armed Imperial Guardsmen present.
* A BlofeldPloy example in ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe''. Stromberg calls two scientists working for him into his office and tells them that one of the people involved in the project is a traitor. He then asks his secretary to leave the room. After she gets into an elevator he tells her that ''she'' was the traitor and drops her into a SharkPool.
* ''Film/TheWayWayBack'': Duncan asks his mother and her boyfriend to leave so that he can say goodbye to Owen in private.
* In ''Film/XMenApocalypse'', when Charles sees Raven has returned to the mansion, he asks everyone else to leave the room so he and Raven can talk in private.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': The novel ''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' has an example where the people asked to leave ''are'' offended. When Salmissra tells the palace eunuchs to go away so she can have a private conversation with Belgarath, one of them complains. Salmissra tells him he's welcome to stay--but then he'll have to be killed.
* ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'': In ''King Kelson's Bride'', when Liam's uncle Matyas and the Torenthi ambassador Rasoul arrive in Kelson's court to escort him back to Torenth, Liam (who is fourteen and serving as a royal [[TheSquire squire]]) expresses some anxiety. Kelson has Matyas and Rasoul conducted to the withdrawing room and takes the boy aside with Prince Nigel to find out what the problem is. Turns out there are three: Liam [[ReluctantRuler doesn't particularly want to rule Torenth]], [[GrowingUpSucks is uncomfortable facing an adult role]] and he wants to get his knightly accolade from Nigel. After some reassurances and a proposal to extend Liam's tenure as a simple squire for a bit longer, the three go into the withdrawing room with Matyas, Rasoul, and Morgan.
* In ''Literature/TheGiver'', Jonas's parents ask his sister Lily to leave the room so they could talk to him about the Ceremony of Twelve, when he would be assigned a career. Creator/LoisLowry's {{dystopia}} is very tradition-bound and this is likely something children aren't supposed to be told about until they're of age.
* Subverted in ''Literature/TheObeliskGate'': Essun tells TheLeader Ykka that they need to speak alone about a sensitive topic. Ykka refuses: first, to emphasize that she is the sole authority in the community; second, to show that she trusts the advisors who are present; and third, because the topic has to do with the heavily reviled FunctionalMagic they both possess, which she's trying to de-stigmatize by being open and up-front about it. They have the conversation in the advisors' presence instead.
* ''Literature/QuantumDevilSagaAvatarTuner:'' Serph asks all members of his tribe to leave not only the room but the general area in which he and the Maribel leader Jinana are going to negotiate their alliance. They leave... Only to come back and listen through the closed door no more than five minutes later.
* In ''Literature/WacosDebt'' by Creator/JTEdson, Carl Brarsand, sinister saloon owner, tries to get newly arrived Mary Anne Catlan alone to talk to her. Since she knows perfectly well that he's going to try to intimidate her into selling the ranch she inherited, [[SubvertedTrope she refuses to let her friends leave]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'': In "[[Recap/AndromedaS1E10AllGreatNeptunesOcean All Great Neptune's Ocean]]", President Lee of Castalia asks Captain Hunt's crew and his own entourage to give himself and Tyr Anasazi the room so that Tyr doesn't have to apologize in public for an earlier insult. [[spoiler:Minutes later, screams and gunfire are heard in the room, and everyone rushes back in to find Lee shot dead and Tyr unconscious, kicking off a LockedRoomMystery.]]
* You can almost play a drinking game with how often characters on ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' ask "May I/ We have the room?" in order to clear the room of characters unnecessary for the current scene without having to come up with a good reason for the unnecessary characters to leave on their own.
* ''Series/{{Bones}}'': In "[[Recap/BonesS1E22TheWomanInLimbo The Woman in Limbo]]," Booth discovers that the Jane Doe case they're working on is Brennan's MissingMom and goes to the Jeffersonian lab to tell her.
-->'''Booth:''' I need the room, guys.
-->'''Zack:''' The whole lab? For what?
-->'''Hodgins:''' It's a cop way of saying "get lost."
* ''Series/BurnNotice'': In "[[Recap/BurnNoticeS2E6BadBlood Bad Blood]]", Michael's childhood friend Ricky is implicated in embezzlement at the record label where he works as an accountant. After the ex-GangBanger company president Sweet Valentine holds a meeting to fire a talent agent the suspected embezzler Eddie accused of trying to jump ship to the competition, he orders everyone out of the room, "except you, Ricky," to question him privately about the missing money. [[spoiler:Given a MeaningfulEcho at the climax of the episode--"Everyone out, except ''you'', Eddie"--after he hears the EngineeredPublicConfession that Team Westen arranged.]]
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** King Robert trusts Ned Stark to the point that he gives his most important commands when nobody is looking around, presumably because he takes for granted that his subjects won't question his decision even without witnesses. He names Ned his Hand in the Crypts of Winterfell halfway through [[Recap/GameOfThronesS1E1WinterIsComing the pilot]] and, a few episodes and a HuntingAccident later in "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS1E7YouWinOrYouDie You Win or You Die]]", he asks him to write down his will before kicking the bucket. This proves to be the downfall of both characters: Robert's wife exploits the lack of witnesses to tear "Ned's shield" in pieces and arrest Ned before he would have told the truth about her children's real heritage.
** In the episode "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS1E9Baelor Baelor]]", Catelyn Stark meets with Lord Walder Frey to discuss an alliance with her son Robb's army. Initially, the discussion is held in front of the incredibly large Frey family, with several of his descendants attempting to butt in. Catelyn requests to talk to Lord Frey only, and he orders the rest of his family to leave, who immediately hurry out of the room.
* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': Towards the end of Season 1, Fabian is trying to ask Nina to the prom, but they keep [[MomentKiller being interrupted]]. His final attempt is in the dining room, where Patricia walks in just as he's trying to ask. He awkwardly asks her to leave the room so he can ask Nina, which she's annoyed by at first, but gladly leaves after catching on. She returns as soon as they're done with the conversation, telling them that they're adorable, and she's starving.
* ''Series/Merlin1998'': Merlin has received a vision of Arthur and Morgan le Fay's night together. He rushes to Camelot and storms into the Round Table room during a meeting between Arthur and the lords. "Out, my lords. OUT! And close the door behind you," he commands, not wanting to embarrass his king in public.
* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'': At the climax of "[[Recap/TheOfficeUSS4E12DidIStutter Did I Stutter?]]", Michael asks everyone in the room to leave following a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Stanley. Once they're alone, Michael tearfully asks Stanley why he keeps insulting him, to which Stanley responds that he doesn't respect him. Michael accepts this after regaining his composure, but asserts his authority by telling him not to do it again because he's his boss. Stanley agrees, implying a newfound amount of respect, albeit a small one.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E07OnceMoreUntoTheBreach Once More Unto the Breach]]", Worf approaches Martok on the bridge of his ship to discuss a subject unpleasant to Martok: giving the elderly Kor a command in the Dominion War. Worf has barely started talking when Martok bellows, "Clear the bridge!" to get rid of everyone else, before privately explaining the reason for his dislike of Kor: Kor personally rejected him from the MilitaryAcademy for being a commoner, scuttling his entire career as a warrior until he was able to earn a [[FieldPromotion battlefield commission]].
* Invoked and played with in ''Series/ThreeKingdoms'', where on several occasions a character may meaningfully glance at other people present when addressing someone. Depending on who is involved, one of three things may happen: a) the other characters may take the hint and excuse themselves [[note]]An example can be seen when a subordinate of Liu Bei urgently interrupts a conversation between Zhuge Liang (Liu's chancellor) and his brother Zhuge Jin (who serves Liu's rival warlord Sun Quan and is visiting as an emissary). The subordinate meaningfully glances at Zhuge Jin, who politely excuses himself and walks a short distance away so the subordinate can deliver his report without being overheard. [[/note]], b) the person being addressed assures the speaker they can be trusted [[note]] When a messenger arrives with a message for Cao Cao, his advisor Xun Yu moves to excuse himself. Cao tells him to stay and commands the messenger to deliver his message. [[/note]] or c) the addressee orders the others to leave [[note]] When a group of conspirators meet up to discuss an assassination attempt against Cao Cao, they dismiss their servants to speak privately[[/note]].
* ''Series/{{Trust}}'': In the first-season finale, after hearing the scathing reviews of his new museum, J. Paul Getty orders his staff out of the room so that they won't see him as he smashes the model in a rage.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}''. This happened several times at the end of regular mission briefings in adventures.
** ''The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues''
*** Mission 2. Doss-V-DAN dismisses the rest of the mission group, tells the team leader that the opposition has MindControl powers and gives him a SuicidePill.
*** Mission 3. All of the other Troubleshooters are dismissed from the room so the briefing officer Byre-B-WER can tell the team leader about the fake weapons that have been planted in a traitor's gear as a SecretTest.
** ''Vapors Never Shoot Back'' Mission 3. Briefing officer Gore-V-DAL has the rest of the Troubleshooters leave so he can give the team leader advice on how to carry out the mission and tell him the pass code to an armored door.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations 2'': President Huang requested a private meeting with Judge Courtney without his bodyguards shortly before he was found dead in a nearby film lot. [[spoiler:It?s later discovered that he was planning to kill Courtney to keep his true identity as the real president?s BodyDouble a secret.]]
*''Videogame/GodOfWarRagnarok'': Odin regularly dismisses his fellow Aesir gods and servants whenever he feels the need to confide something of great importance to Atreus or discuss relevant topics, most notably the Rift under the Great Lodge and Mask tied to it. This approach is actually one of his many strategies to win the trust of Atreus to get what he wants.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode Two'': Near the end of the story, Eli Vance asks his daughter Alyx to get him some tea, so he can reveal to Gordon his [[spoiler:acquaintance with the G-Man and his role in the Black Mesa Incident]], as well as ask him to destroy ''Borealis'' without trying to use it--something he obviously doesn't want Alyx to know beforehand.
* In the ''Franchise/{{Hitman}} VideoGame/WorldOfAssassinationTrilogy'' most of your targets will have at least one bodyguard trailing them at all times, and many Mission Stories set up an opportunity to have you and the target hold a private conversation as they dismiss their guards (or just dismiss themselves for whatever reason) to give you a chance to kill them unnoticed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/MinilifeTV'': In "The Final Match", when Snowball returns to Minilife Studios having learned that [[spoiler:his kind are treated as servants to their creators]], he confronts Chris and Ian for not telling him about it. Ian requests for Clair and Wilkins to leave the room so he and Chris can tell Snowball the truth and show him the Vampire Laws.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': When a majority of the Queen's Council [[https://www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic/ch17/ch17_27.html decide]] to withdraw support from her dynasty, one of them [[https://www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic/ch17/ch17_29.html unceremoniously moves]] the Chancellor out into the hallway with magic before they continue to debate.
-->'''Councilor:''' Ufal, begone. This discussion is beyond a mere mouthpiece such as you.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' episode "[[Recap/ReBootS2E9TrustNoOne Trust No One]]", after the Guardian High Command choose to [[FinalSolution destroy Mainframe]] to [[ItsTheOnlyWayToBeSure prevent the Web creature from spreading to the Super Computer]], Turbo asked to be left alone with his thoughts. [[spoiler: With everyone gone, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark Turbo then purposely increase the bomb's countdown to give Bob more time to find his own solution]].]]
-->'''Turbo:''' I'd like to be alone for this. Bob and I go back a long way. [[spoiler: ''(Alone, Turbo flips the hourglass countdown)'' That's the best I can do. Good luck Bob. I'm so sorry.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E18BurnsHeir Burns' Heir]]", Mr. Burns gets so upset over Bart's horribly-phrased audition that he orders everyone else to leave before giving Bart a LiteralAssKicking with a mechanical boot.
[[/folder]]
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!! Indices: {{Dialogue}}, ImageSource.ComicBooksAToL, QuoteSource.{{Literature}}, RoomShuffle

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