History Main / SwiperNoSwiping

* Discussed and averted in ''Disney/SleepingBeauty'' as the fairies are trying to find a way to stop Maleficent from making good on her curse on Aurora. [[WideEyedIdealist Fauna]] suggests that they try to reason with her. The others quickly dismiss the idea and it's never brought up again.

* The main plot of ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'' revolves around Spiritia fighting against her colleagues for the whole SwiperNoSwiping deal of convincing them that fighting against the [[UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire Holy Empire]] isn't exactly the way to go about the whole "fear and persecution" stuff. But without knowing that [[spoiler:the Empire didn't really persecute the magi of RKS at all but actually wanted Iris dead as Iris was planning to have RKS fight against the Empire ForTheEvulz]].

* Actually done in a justified and entertaining fashion in ''Series/BabylonFive''; After three-and-a-half seasons of manipulation escalating into planet-shattering war, [[spoiler:the Vorlons and the Shadows admit that the whole millennia-spanning conflict is a simple philosophical dispute - the Vorlons believe that imposing discipline, order and a little guidance without direct interference are the best ways to get the younger races to evolve, while the Shadows believe that stirring up the younger races to fight each other so that strong winners emerge is necessary. Sheridan shuts the whole thing down by stating that both parties are just "parents arguing in front of their children" and that the younger races have been reduced to pawns in the dispute in order to prove one of the two ideologies right. He says the younger races don't need them anymore, and then orders both the Vorlons and Shadows to "Get the hell out of our galaxy!" It does take a few ships TakingTheBullet for the point to get across, but it was Sheridan's denouncement that pretty much ends the Shadow War.]]

* In the [[CrapSaccharineWorld faux utopian future]] of ''Film/DemolitionMan'', the local populace are so pacified that this strategy is the ''only'' resource city law enforcement has to fall back on. Funnily enough, it seems to work most of the time, until one unfortunate officer tries using it on [[BigBad Simon Phoenix]], an unfrozen AxCrazy mass murderer from the 20th century.
* Played for drama in ''Film/HoldTheDark'': Cheeon is having a LastStand by gunning down policemen with a machinegun. Russell, an unarmed civilian, runs out heedless of the danger to try to drag a wounded cop to safety. Cheeon turns his gun toward Russell, who can do nothing but shout "Just stop it!" For whatever reason, Cheeon returns to firing on the rest of the police and allows Russell to drag the wounded cop away. It helps that Cheeon's main beef is with the local police over their botched handling of his child's case and other grievances; he has no particular grudge with the outsider Russell.

* *The Doctor tells his foes ''exactly'' who he is and asks if they ''really'' want to make an enemy of him. His reputation is such that this sometimes makes the evil monster back off without a further fight rather than risk the Doctor's wrath. The Eleventh Doctor was particularly fond of this tactic. He handles the Atraxi by asking them to look him up in a database and scares off an entire intergalactic fleet by challenging either race to attack him first. Do note, he certainly earns his influence in-between boasts.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has a variation: the Doctor tells his foes ''exactly'' who he is and asks if they ''really'' want to make an enemy of him. His reputation is such that this sometimes makes the evil monster back off without a further fight rather than risk the Doctor's wrath. The Eleventh Doctor was particularly fond of this tactic. He handles the Atraxi by asking them to look him up in a database and scares off an entire intergalactic fleet by challenging either race to attack him first. Do note, he certainly earns his influence in-between boasts.

* A lot of solutions to problems when going Paragon (and even a few Renegade solutions as well) in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' are just a well-chosen remark that makes the other guy see things your way. In fact, a lot of neutral responses have the same effect. You kind of have to make an effort to make things get out of hand, sometimes.
** In fact, if your Charm or Intimidate scores in the first game are maxed, you can [[spoiler: talk TheDragon into ''shooting himself in the head'' rather than fight him.]]

* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' with a high enough speech skill, you can actually talk the FinalBoss Legate Lanius into calling off his attack on the New California Republic and going home without a fight.
** You can do this with a high enough Barter skill (in both cases you must have them maxed out). You can either convince him that he won't be able to hold on the already conquered territory if he tries to occupy new territory with his weakened army, or lecture him about economics to show that his logistics are not good enough to invade. Seriously.

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnpTcrtsN3U Dora the Explorer: The Search for the Infinity Orb]]'', used as the money line at the end. (Unfortunately, this isn't real, it's just a fake trailer, albeit a really well done one, with Creator/ArielWinter as WesternAnimation/{{Dora|TheExplorer}}.)
** This fake trailer led to the creation of a mini-series, with part one [[http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6874662/dora-the-explorer-and-the-destiny-medallion-part-1 here]], part two [[http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6874663/dora-the-explorer-and-the-destiny-medallion-part-2 here]], and [[http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6874664/dora-the-explorer-and-the-destiny-medallion-part-3 part three.]]

* Played for drama in ''Film/HoldTheDark'': Cheeon is having a LastStand by gunning down policemen with a machinegun. Russell, an unarmed civilian, runs out heedless of the danger to try to drag a wounded cop to safety. Cheeon turns his gun toward Russell, who can do nothing but shout "Just stop it!" For whatever reason, Cheeon returns to firing on the rest of the police and allows Russell to drag the wounded cop away.

* In ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'', Rocky along with the citizens of O-Town go up to speak with the board of directors for Conglom-O [[GreenAesop about the pollution they've been putting out]], and asks for them to stop. Much to everyone's surprise, the board of directors says ok without so much as an argument.

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* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' with a high enough speech skill, you can actually talk the BigBad Legate Lanius into calling off his attack on the NCR and going home without a fight.
** You can do this with a high enough Barter skill (in both cases you must have them maxed out). You can either convince him that he won't be able to hold on the already conquered territory if he tries to occupy new territory with his weakened army, or lecture him about economics to show that his logistics are not good enough to invade. Seriously.

** In an ironic twist, it's subverted in the YetAnotherChristmasCarol episode when Swiper himself tries it on his future self. Future Swiper just laughs at him, tells him it doesn't work anymore, and swipes the object in question anyway. Turns out that Swiper was just being polite and listening to Dora, when he got put on the Naughty List, he [[TookALevelInBadass stopped]] [[TookALevelInJerkass listening]] and swiped so much stuff that the future Dora angrily tells the present Swiper there's nothing left to steal.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* People expect this to happen a lot in life. How many times have you insulted a person, knowing that that wouldn't stop them? People, especially immature kids, do this constantly and never get anywhere.
* Actually, it's surprisingly effective when dealing with decent people who are simply tired or overwrought and hadn't considered the effect they were having on those around them. Store clerks, security guards, teachers, and librarians successfully make use of this trope all the time!
* On the flip side, police ''do'' sometimes get this trope. Crooks may be fine stealing from little old ladies (provided they don't carry mace or another weapon in their purses), but when a guy with a badge and a gun shows up, they might just reconsider and decide it's better to go quietly than to risk a struggle with someone more powerful. It's normally inexperienced or reluctant criminals who do this, as those who know they've got a mile-long rap sheet may decide they'd rather go out in a blaze of gunfire than to live life in prison.
** This is also part of the reason tactical snipers like their laser sights: seeing that little dot on his chest or his partner's face (and knowing ''exactly'' what it means) often convinces an enemy that it's in his best interests to comply, as [[BoomHeadshot things will get messy]] if he doesn't. It's more the threat of violence than the force of the commands which yields compliance, but if the sniper never has to take a shot, it certainly ''appears'' to be this trope.
* Happens with children being chastised by parents or teachers all the time.
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* Sometimes, the Hamburglar from ''[=McDonald=] Land'' succumbs to this.
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The villain is merely ''told'' to stop his evil scheme, and he does. Usually, this is a way to [[AnAesop teach the audience a lesson]] about the [[PoorCommunicationKills importance of communication]], and sometimes it stands as a testament to the hero's badassery, but just as often it's PlayedForLaughs due to the sheer unlikelihood of the idea.

[[TheStinger Oh]], ''[[TheStinger man]],'' TheStinger!

* ''VideoGame/StarControlIITheUrQuanMasters'': The titular Ur-Quan generally attack and kill anyone who is not either an Ur-Quan, or a 'Battle Thrall' in their service, owing to a huge (and fairly well-justified) sense of paranoia regarding any sentient species other than their own race. However, one of the tenets of their shared philosophy involves the Question; if one of their enemies does ask in the proper way, the Ur-Quan captain has a moral duty to stop firing and explain the Ur-Quan's history and the reason why it has them killing and/or enslaving every sentient race in the universe. (Interestingly, once you hear it, they're actually surprisingly sympathetic overall.) However, once they've finished explaining it, they'll get right back to shooting at you.

* In one of the ''Creator/SvenHassel'' novels, Tiny shouts at a Soviet machine gunner in the trenches opposite to stop firing as he's trying to get some sleep. Whether through coincidence or confusion, they actually do stop firing.

* The ending of ''Anime/DigimonSavers'' ''ends'' with the villain finally listening to what the heroes had been yelling at it for three episodes straight. It came off as something of an anticlimax anyway - it was like "so, you really, ''really'' don't want me to destroy the world? Oh, okay. [Leaves]"

* The ending of ''Anime/DigimonSavers.'' Though the final enemy puts up more of a fight than season two's infamous TalkingTheMonsterToDeath sequence, it still ''ends'' with the villain finally listening to what the heroes had been yelling at it for three episodes straight. It came off as something of an anticlimax anyway - it was like "so, you really, ''really'' don't want me to destroy the world? Oh, okay. [Leaves]"

* Played for drama in ''Film/HoldTheDark'': Cheeon is having a LastStand by gunning down policemen with a machinegun. Russell, an unarmed civilian, runs out heedless of the danger to try to drag a wounded cop to safety. Cheeon turns his gun on Russell, who can do nothing but shout "Just stop it!" For whatever reason, Cheeon continues firing on the rest of the police and allows Russell to drag the wounded cop away.

* One of the benefits of having an high Presence hero character in ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' is the ability cow lesser bad guys through sheer force of charisma, personal magnetism, reputation, or whatever. Some of the super villains may also be impressive enough to do this to ''the heroes'', if said heroes haven't invested any points in Presence.

* On ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'', the titular wizard of "The Mefirst Wizard" is a selfish wizard who doesn't know how to take turns and therefore takes over whatever you're trying to play on and won't let anyone else have a turn. He can be banished, however, with the rhyme "Mefirst, Mefirst, go away. That's not the way friends play." Though it has to be said two words at time between those that are there, taking turns.

* Played for drama in ''Film/HoldTheDark'': Cheeon is having a LastStand by gunning down policemen with a machinegun. Russell, an unarmed naturalist, runs out heedless of the danger to try to drag a wounded cop to safety. Cheeon turns his gun on Russell, who can do nothing but shout "Just stop it!" For whatever reason, Cheeon continues firing on the rest of the police and allows Russell to drag the wounded cop away.

'''Grayson:''' [[GenreSavvy In the history of space battles, has that ever worked?]]\\