History Main / TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou

* In ''And I Darken'', a very young Lada saves Radu's life and promises him that she is the only one who is allowed to kill him. When alone in Constantinople after the breakup of their BrotherSisterTeam, Radu privately hopes she's right, since it means he won't die in the siege.

* ComicBook/DoctorDoom is perfectly willing to save the Comicbook/FantasticFour from certain death at the hands of anyone else, just so that he can kill them himself later. However, he only gets involved if [[ArchEnemy Reed Richards]] is with them -- if only the other three are in danger, he couldn't care less.

** In a storyline where the original Fantastic Four were killed and their positions taken up by Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk and ComicBook/GhostRider, Doom stepped in and killed the enemies threatening them, saying "None may defeat the Fantastic Four... save Doom." Evidently being stand-ins count.

* ComicBook/TheJoker extended this trope to ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} (Tim Drake) at the end of the mini-series Robin: Joker's Wild. After being defeated by Robin while Batman was out of town, Joker sat angrily in his cell at Arkham, warning the other inmates, "No one touches the boy, d'ya hear? He's mine! The little bird is mine. Do you hear me? None of you touch him. He’s the Joker’s property from now on. And next time he’ll stay dead."
** And of course, The Joker to Batman himself. He has, on numerous occasions, proclaimed that his only reason to live is to kill Batman and throws mad rages (or even completely snaps and turns ''sane'') when he thinks somebody else did the job. Furthermore, he proclaims the self-imposed parallel as well where all he wants is to drive Batman to the point where Batman will kill him, thus crossing the line.
*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lGTfK4PmPw Nobody kills the bat but me!!!]]

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** When Superman is killed by Doomsday, ComicBook/LexLuthor (disguised as his own son; long story) starts attacking the corpse of Superman-killer Doomsday in a rage with a chair. The people present assume it's because he's angry at Superman's murderer. [[RightForTheWrongReasons He is, but not for the reasons they think]].

** The film adaptation of the Doomsday storyline, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday'', has a similar reaction from Lex. He's pretty ticked off that an "intergalactic soccer hooligan" robbed him of the chance to defeat Superman with some sort of brilliant EvilPlan. Of course, Lex was responsible for releasing said hooligan, but even then he can't take credit because Mercy Graves destroyed the evidence. [[spoiler:So he kills Mercy instead.]]
** One more for the road: Early on in ComicBook/PostCrisis history, Superman's first battle with the Kryptonite-powered Metallo goes badly for the Man of Steel. Just as the villain is about to finish him, Lex's agents arrive and take Metallo away. In ''Superman Villains Secret Files'', Lex explains the issue to his infant daughter with "Well, I couldn't allow a fool like Corben to enjoy the killing blow, could I?"

** This is also the case in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'', where Eggman views Sonic as such as a WorthyOpponent that he's determined to crush him utterly before killing him, and won't let anyone else interfere in that. When his new ally [[MadScientist Dr. Starline]] tries to kill Sonic in a bombing during their first encounter, Eggman is furious, reading Starline the riot act for trying to eliminate Sonic for him, and in such a simple way.

* In an early ''ComicBook/ShangChi: Master of Kung Fu'' story, the title character was captured by a gangster who intended to kill him. At the last second, Literature/FuManchu, Shang-Chi's ArchnemesisDad, arrived and had his troops slaughter the gangster's henchmen. Just before departing, Fu Manchu stated that he intervened because only he may decide when and how Shang-Chi will perish.

* BettyAndVeronica would ''clearly'' rather ComicBook/{{Archie|Comics}} choose the other, rather than [[ThirdOptionLoveInterest Cheryl Blossom]].

** ''ComicBook/TheTransformeresIDW'': Megatron in ''Regeneration One'' is determined to get Optimus this way, even if [[TakingYouWithMe he has to die himself]]. He even taunts Prime with [[ApocalypseHow what he's done to Earth]] in the two decades it's been since the Autobots went back to Cybertron.

** Before the ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot, Joker had taken it upon himself to kill anyone who tried to kill Batman; only he can kill Batman and only Batman can kill him. Nothing more romantic than double homicide and hate is just another kind of love.

* This is something of an inversion of their relationship in the Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}} ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Generation 1]]'' comic. In a story by Bob Budiansky, Optimus and Megatron agree to settle their differences by video game tournament, and Megatron wins (by cheating). Thus, the ref blows up Optimus, and so Megatron slides into depression and insanity due to not being the one that struck the fatal blow. In fact, he is so obsessed over the matter, that when Brawl tries to console him, Megatron crushes his head; and when Brawl, the most AxCrazy of the Combaticons, is trying to be the voice of reason, you know Megs has gone over the edge.
** Megatron in ''Regeneration One''[[note]]the IDW series that continues the original Marvel continuity, splintering from both the ''Generation 2'' and ''Classics'' stories[[/note]] is determined to get Optimus this way, even if [[TakingYouWithMe he has to die himself]]. He even taunts Prime with [[ApocalypseHow what he's done to Earth]] in the two decades it's been since the Autobots went back to Cybertron.
* Megatron uses this trope to his advantage in the ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'' comics. He knows full well that an Autobot would never kill him out of fear of what Optimus would do to them later for destroying Megatron before he got the chance. They're even afraid to tell Optimus that Megatron MIGHT be dead. For those unfamiliar with ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'', it's a universe where the Autobots are evil conquerors and the Decepticons are heroic freedom fighters.

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* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** When Superman is killed by Doomsday, ComicBook/LexLuthor (disguised as his own son; long story) starts attacking the corpse of Superman-killer Doomsday in a rage with a chair. The people present assume it's because he's angry at Superman's murderer. [[RightForTheWrongReasons He is, but not for the reasons they think]].
** He reacts the same way (and for the same reason) when he thinks the Silver Banshee has successfully killed Superman.
** The film adaptation of the Doomsday storyline, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday'', has a similar reaction from Lex. He's pretty ticked off that an "intergalactic soccer hooligan" robbed him of the chance to defeat Superman with some sort of brilliant EvilPlan. Of course, Lex was responsible for releasing said hooligan, but even then he can't take credit because Mercy Graves destroyed the evidence. [[spoiler:So he kills Mercy instead.]]
** One more for the road: Early on in ComicBook/PostCrisis history, Superman's first battle with the Kryptonite-powered Metallo goes badly for the Man of Steel. Just as the villain is about to finish him, Lex's agents arrive and take Metallo away. In ''Superman Villains Secret Files'', Lex explains the issue to his infant daughter with "Well, I couldn't allow a fool like Corben to enjoy the killing blow, could I?"

* Megatron uses this trope to his advantage in the ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'' comics. He knows full well that an Autobot would never kill him out of fear of what Optimus would do to them later for destroying Megatron before he got the chance. They're even afraid to tell Optimus that Megatron MIGHT be dead. For those unfamiliar with ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'', it's a universe where the Autobots are evil conquerors and the Decepticons are heroic freedom fighters.
* In an early ''ComicBook/ShangChi: Master of Kung Fu'' story, the title character was captured by a gangster who intended to kill him. At the last second, Literature/FuManchu, Shang-Chi's ArchnemesisDad, arrived and had his troops slaughter the gangster's henchmen. Just before departing, Fu Manchu stated that he intervened because only he may decide when and how Shang-Chi will perish.
* ''ComicBook/BlazeOfGlory'': The leader of the nightriders [[spoiler: AKA Kid Cassidy]] shoots one of his henchmen for [[spoiler: seemingly]] killing Reno Jones, telling him that "No one kills Reno Jones but me!"
* This is something of an inversion of their relationship in the Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}} ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Generation 1]]'' comic. In a story by Bob Budiansky, Optimus and Megatron agree to settle their differences by video game tournament, and Megatron wins (by cheating). Thus, the ref blows up Optimus, and so Megatron slides into depression and insanity due to not being the one that struck the fatal blow. In fact, he is so obsessed over the matter, that when Brawl tries to console him, Megatron crushes his head; and when Brawl, the most AxCrazy of the Combaticons, is trying to be the voice of reason, you know Megs has gone over the edge.
** Megatron in ''Regeneration One''[[note]]the IDW series that continues the original Marvel continuity, splintering from both the ''Generation 2'' and ''Classics'' stories[[/note]] is determined to get Optimus this way, even if [[TakingYouWithMe he has to die himself]]. He even taunts Prime with [[ApocalypseHow what he's done to Earth]] in the two decades it's been since the Autobots went back to Cybertron.
* ComicBook/{{Daken}} has this with his [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} father]]; he fought ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} when it seemed he was about to kill Logan. Of course Wolverine set the whole thing up.
-->'''Daken:''' He's my father. And I'm going to kill him for it, not you.\\
'''Deadpool:''' [[AmbiguousSyntax So you're not going to kill me? Awesome!]]

* BettyAndVeronica would ''clearly'' rather ComicBook/{{Archie|Comics}} choose the other, rather than [[ThirdOptionLoveInterest Cheryl Blossom]].
* ComicBook/DoctorDoom is perfectly willing to save the Comicbook/FantasticFour from certain death at the hands of anyone else, just so that he can kill them himself later. However, he only gets involved if [[ArchEnemy Reed Richards]] is with them — if only the other three are in danger, he couldn't care less.
** During the ''ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}'' crossover, Doom was at his embassy in New York City, and dispassionately listening to reports of the devastation Onslaught was inflicting on the city. It was pretty obvious he had no stake in the fight and was planning on staying out of it...until one of his people informed him that Onslaught had kidnapped Reed Richards' son Franklin. Saying that Doom was seriously pissed off is an understatement. "This mutant upstart ''dares'' to kidnap the son of my greatest enemy? It's apparent this Onslaught individual is going to require my personal attention!"
** In a storyline where the original Fantastic Four were killed and their positions taken up by Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk and ComicBook/GhostRider, Doom stepped in and killed the enemies threatening them, saying "None may defeat the Fantastic Four... save Doom." Evidently being stand-ins count.
* This is Dr. Eggman's attitude toward Sonic in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''. In the 2010 Free Comic Book Day issue, one of the badniks created by the original Eggman/Robotnik is about to kill Sonic...and he proceeds to destroy it so it wouldn't "ruin his time-table", much to [[TheStarscream Snively's]] ''immense'' frustration.
** This is also the case in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'', where Eggman views Sonic as such as a WorthyOpponent that he's determined to crush him utterly before killing him, and won't let anyone else interfere in that. When his new ally [[MadScientist Dr. Starline]] tries to kill Sonic in a bombing during their first encounter, Eggman is furious, reading Starline the riot act for trying to eliminate Sonic for him, and in such a simple way.
-->'''Eggman:''' I could carpet bomb him any day! That's not enough - that's not the ''point!'' I have to ''beat'' him! I have to prove I'm '''superior!'''

* ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s archenemy Black Manta is psychotically obsessed with killing Aquaman for [[MultipleChoicePast some reason or another]] (originally his motives changed often and were suggested to simply be made up to justify his obsession, but the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' retconned it into him wanting revenge for his [[YouKilledMyFather father's accidental death at Aquaman's hands]]). This goal is the only thing that Black Manta lives for and when Manta thinks Aquaman is dead in ''ComicBook/ForeverEvil2013'', he vows revenge against the people who claim to have killed him, the Crime Syndicate.
-->'''Black Manta:''' The Syndicate killed Aquaman. They took the only thing I wanted from me. So I'm going to take everything from ''them''.
* In one run of ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'', Frank is seemingly executed in an electric chair, only to have his death faked by a mafia family who have their own plans for him. Frank's arch nemesis Jigsaw dresses up like him and goes around killing anyone who had anything to do with the sentence. When he finds out that Frank's alive, he's initially overjoyed. Then he realizes that he killed all those people for no reason, and rages at Frank for making a fool out of him.

* Something like this happens in ''ComicBook/DeadpoolKillsTheMarvelUniverse'', when Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk rips ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} apart.
-->'''Hulk:''' YOU KILL HULK'S FRIENDS! YOU KILL HULK'S ENEMIES! ONLY HULK GETS TO KILL HULK'S ENEMIES!
* ''ComicBook/Batman66'': Heroic example. Alfred beats up his evil cousin because he feels like, since they're family, he'd not be able to face himself if he let others decide his cousin's punishment.

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeason1'': While facing [[WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}} Lord Cedric]] in the chapter "Divide and Conquer - Chaos and Hilarity", [[WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures Hak Foo]] proclaims that Jackie, the Guardians and their allies are his to slay. He later tells that same thing to Prince Phobos when they first meet. Impressed that Hak Foo just got inside his castle by following Tarakudo unnoticed through the Shadow Realm and utterly curb stomped the guards and the Dark Chi Enforcers, Phobos decides to let him slay the heroes… as a Dark Chi Warrior under his command.

* In ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'', Harmonica is the only one allowed to defeat Frank. [[spoiler:When several of Frank's own men are paid to kill him (Frank), Harmonica shoots one of them. When he is accused of saving Frank's life, he defends his actions with, "I didn't let them kill him, and that's not the same thing."]]
* ''Film/ThePurge'':
** During the assault on the Sandin family, the family's neighbors enter the house and dispatch their attackers, saving them from violent deaths. [[spoiler:However they then reveal that the only reason they intervened was so that they could kill the Sandins themselves as their own Purge targets.]]
** Also, the attackers make it clear the Sandins have to give the homeless man to them alive so they can kill him. The Sandins killing him and turning over his body is unacceptable.

* ''Film/TheNeverendingStory'' inverts it: G'mork, the servant of the Nothing, claims that Atreyu is the only one who can defeat ''him''. [[spoiler: Saying that wasn't a smart move, because it gives Atreyu the HeroicResolve to kill him.]]
* In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', [[spoiler:as Weapon XI is about to decapitate Logan, he is tackled away by Victor Creed. "Nobody kills you but me!"]]
* In the aftermath of the climatic battle at the end of ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'', [[spoiler:Bill the Butcher is mortally wounded by shrapnel from a random cannon blast. Amsterdam is furious that he wasn't able to kill Bill himself and properly avenge his father.]]

* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': [[spoiler:Megatron blasts [[FaceHeelTurn Sentinel]] [[FallenHero Prime]] just when he's about to finish off Optimus]].

* In ''Circus'', protagonist Leo incurs the wrath of [[ScaryBlackMan Moose]], who wrongly accuses Leo of murdering his mistress, as well as a pair of {{Loan Shark}}s that he owes a serious debt to. This leads to a scene where Leo is being threatened by the Sharks, Moose arrives and beats them up... then announces his intention to kill Leo and chases him down the street. The scene ends with Troy, one of the sharks, recovering from the attack:
-->'''Troy:''' "He can't bloody kill him... I'm gonna be the one to kill him!"
* The movie ''Film/{{Bullet}}'' has this going on between Tupac's character and Micky Rourke's character.

* A more reasonable example occurs in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}''. Silva's actual grudge is against M, and he tells his men that only he can kill her. He doesn't care who kills Bond. [[spoiler:When he sees that M has already been mortally wounded, [[VillainousBreakdown he practically breaks down]]. When Bond shows up and throws a knife into his back (interrupting his MurderSuicide plan), he just looks ''annoyed''.]]
* A curious subversion in ''Film/TheHobbit''. Azog the Defiler initially makes it clear that Thorin is his, but after delivering him a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown has no problem having one of his underlings collect his head. Presumably, either the beatdown was good enough or he thought Thorin was already dead.
* Played with in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' when [[spoiler:the Lord Marshal uses every means at his disposal to try and kill Riddick, before deciding to fight him personally. It's a DoubleSubversion. In the backstory, he heard a prophecy that a Furyan could kill him, so he slaughtered pretty much the entire planet.]]
* Blink and you'll miss it in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd''- Davy Jones bodily shields Ian Mercer from cannon fire moments before slowly and gruesomely tentacling him to death.
** Barbossa has this attitude towards Jack Sparrow during the entire series.
* [[Franchise/{{Godzilla}} Godzilla]] usually steps up to the plate in a "heroic" role and defend the world and mankind when there is another giant monster or an AlienInvasion [[GaiasVengeance threatening the Earth]]. Otherwise, only ''he'' can rise and destroy human civilization when he wants to. Some of his movies however establish that Godzilla attacks both mankind and other giant monsters because he's pissed off at both of them for attacking him, and that he prioritizes going after adversaries the same size he is before getting revenge on the humans.
* In ''Film/DieHard'', [[TheDragon Karl]] tells this to his fellow henchman regarding John [=McClane=], as he wants [[ItsPersonal revenge]] for the death of [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his younger brother]].
-->'''Karl:''' No one kills him but me.
** By the end of the movie, even if the mastermind Hans Gruber is not so attached to his henchmen, the trouble Mr. [=McClane=] has caused him brings him to say something similar when the matter comes up at the eleventh hour. "''NEIN!'' This is mine."
* In ''Film/FreddyVsJason'', just as Freddy is about to make his first kill after coming back, Jason kills his would-be victim to which he yells, "No, she was mine!" and realizes Jason is taking away potential victims from him.
* ''{{Film/Constantine}}'': Lucifer believes this in terms of the entire world. He will win the gamble against God and destroy the Earth, but it must be his machinations that do it. [[spoiler:Even when the bad guys are seconds away from unleashing Lucifer's son on Earth so he can raze it to the ground, Lucifer stops them effortlessly, making the Angel helping his son human, and sends his son back to hell because it isn't ''Lucifer's'' plan. Hero John Constantine guesses this mentality to purposefully summon him to the final confrontation so Lucifer could do something]].
* The Kurgan at the start of ''Film/{{Highlander}}'' has made a pact with the Frasers - only he is allowed to fight Connor Macleod. All the Frasers avoid him, leaving the unsuspecting Connor befuddled.

* ''Literature/TheIliad'': In an early occurrence of the trope, Achilles orders the other Myrmidons not to attack Hector, so that he alone may have the satisfaction of killing his foe and avenging Patroclus. This is jarringly inverted in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida in which Achilles does the opposite: actively ordering his men to slaughter Hector for him.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** A prophecy made before Harry was born foretold his rivalry with Voldemort, and that one of them will end up killing the other. The exact terms could have referred to someone else ([[spoiler:Neville]]) born the same month, but Voldemort chose to go after Harry first -- and created a SelfFulfillingProphecy thanks to Lily's sacrifice. Years later, Voldemort remains obsessed with killing Harry personally.
** Subverted when Harry returns to Hogwarts in ''Deathly Hallows'' when he invokes something like this -- Neville points out that while Harry was off chasing Horcruxes, he'd been fairly effectively leading the resistance in his absence and Luna points out that she'd worked out how to find the penultimate Horcrux before Harry (or even Hermione) had.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Black Sister Elza Penfell destroys one of her superiors (though she is unaware that he is her superior because he is in disguise) who is trying to kill Rand al'Thor, because she believes Rand must stay alive long enough to face (and be destroyed by) the [[BigBad Dark One]].
** [[FourStarBadass Demandred]] and [[WildCard Padan Fain]] also have this attitude about Rand. [[spoiler: None of the three succeed; the Dark One is defeated and resealed by Rand, and Demandred and Fain get taken out by other people before having a chance to face him]].

* Sandor Clegane in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' gets particularly irritated when anyone apart from him expresses an interest in killing [[CainAndAbel his brother]], the pathologically nasty Gregor Clegane, who permanently disfigured Sandor in his youth. As Littlefinger explains to Ned, "Gregor was ''his'' to loathe, not yours to kill."
* In ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'', all the heirs of Stormhold are trying to kill each other and this is right and proper. But when an outsider kills one, the victim's ghost demands his remaining brother avenge him. The brother immediately sets out to do so. [[spoiler:And gets killed in the process.]]
* Inverted: In Charles Stross' ''Literature/TheJenniferMorgue'' [[spoiler: a villain sets up a geas making him vulnerable to only one hero, one who suffers under the handicap of being (in the novel's universe) fictional]].

* In Creator/GregRucka's second ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' novel, the Big Bad does this in concern to Joanna Dark, the hero. Joanna points out that she herself is ill, mainly because of a barely-healed gunshot wound to the stomach. The Big Bad pulls a gun, reverses and blam. Now both have a gunshot wound to the stomach. Now nobody can say the fight was unequal.

* Happens all the time between Canim and Alerans in ''Literature/CodexAlera''. In Canim culture, a respected enemy is considered more valuable than a friend. Many times in the fourth and fifth books, if certain situations were taking place entirely between humans or even if the roles of humans and Canim were reversed, characters would justify their actions to rivals or authority figures by calling an Aleran a friend or ally who needs their help. Since they're Canim or talking to Canim, though, they go to great lengths to make it clear that they don't like helping the Aleran, but neither another rival nor the BigBad can be allowed to kill them, so...
** Another interesting aspect of the concept of ''gadara'' (sort of a combination of this trope, WorthyOpponent and FriendlyEnemy) is that once you have declared that you are the only one who is allowed to defeat someone, you have to defend your claim on your ''gadara'''s life from any other, less friendly enemies your ''gadara'' might have.
* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'''s Marlfoxes are a BigScrewedUpFamily with no problems killing each other off at the drop of a hat. However, they have a strict "blood for blood" rule if an outsider kills one of them, and they will enthusiastically enforce this rule.
* When the Phoners in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Cell}}'' tell you not to touch one of their enemies, they mean that if you kill one of them, they'll make an example of you.

* In ''And I Darken'', a very young Lada saves Radu's life and promises him that she is the only one who is allowed to kill him. When alone in Constantinople after the breakup of their BrotherSisterTeam, Radu privately hopes she's right, since it means he won't die in the siege.
* In ''Literature/TheVillainsSeries'', Eli and Victor both have this attitude towards each other. They both hold extremely deep and personal grudges against the other, and the [[WeUsedToBeFriends emotionally charged]] [nature of their relationship probably doesn't help.

* Rayaten Leusa in ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror'' was obsessed with killing [[EvilOverlord Dayless the Conqueror]], and felt dissatisfied and empty when Dayless apparently died on his exploding flagship, wishing he could have gotten the final blow himself. [[spoiler: When he finds out that Daylen ''[[MyGrandsonMyself is]]'' Dayless, he comes to believe that it's divine providence that he would find him and have the opportunity to finally take his revenge, though he's more than happy to have Lyrah--possibly the only person [[ThePowerOfHate who hates Dayless]] more than he does--as his wingman.]]
* ''Literature/DarkShores'': Even though giants are traditional enemies of Mudamora, they decide to help them fight Derin.
-->'''A giant:''' You are our favorite to cross swords with, and we would not care to see you fall to another foe when we have long wished for you to fall to us.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** The Master, despite often trying to kill the Doctor, agrees to try and save his life in "The Five Doctors", because (in his words) "the cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about."
** This is actually a recurring trait with them. During "Trial of the Time Lord", the Master actually flat out says he'll help defeat the Valeyard because he wanted to defeat the Doctor himself. Even in "The End of Time", the Master sacrifices himself to save the Doctor from the Time Lords (and get revenge on Rassilon). Add in the FoeRomanceSubtext between these two, and it might just be that all the Master wants is to "keep" the Doctor all for himself, which he actually does in "Sound of the Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords"!
--->'''The Master:''' [[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E11WorldEnoughAndTime ... if somebody kills you and it's not me, we'll both be disappointed.]]
** When The Doctor refers to Davros as his ArchEnemy, The Master, now "Missy", is visibly offended.
* This causes the title character in ''Series/{{Dexter}}'' to [[spoiler:save the Trinity Killer's life]] which comes back to bite him hard in the end. He also, at least once, plants evidence to steer the police away from a criminal whom he wants to kill.
* In ''Series/APBio'', Jack Griffin the AP Bio teacher regularly bullies his own students always forcing them to work hard to build up his career into becoming a best-selling book writer and philosopher who is very popular with women or else he'll give them F's. Though when his own students get bullied, he goes after those bullies himself.
* In ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', Peg often begs Al not to give away his own money on their children Kelly and Bud who keep hounding Al for money to go out and eat at restaurants. That way, Peg can hog all of Al's money for herself so she can keep shopping for luxuries (such as perfume, make-up, clothes, Bon Bons). Peg will even shoo away Kelly and Bud if they're beseeching Al for money because then she can have Al all to herself to beg him for money. In addition, despite Peg being a terrible, negligent and selfish mother to Kelly and Bud, she occasionally steps up and intervenes if Al himself is being a terrible father to them i.e. strangling Kelly in the neck or threatening to throw them out of the house to cut expenses in favor of affording his TV Guide subscription.

* Damon of the series ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' has this attitude toward Stefan in the show. He saved Stefan's life because he didn't want anyone else to have the pleasure of killing him. Given the arc of their relationship over the course of the series, it seems this was really an excuse; he actually didn't want his little brother dead, but was keeping up the "I hate you so much" schtick.
* The intellectually vain Detective [=McNulty=] of ''Series/TheWire'' has this attitude towards Stringer Bell, his WorthyOpponent on the other side of the law, to the point where [[spoiler:he's all but brokenhearted when Stringer is killed by rival gangsters before he can bring him down.]]
* A version of this shows up in the ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "The Coming Of Shadows", in which G'Kar was about to assassinate the Centauri Emperor at a reception, but was interrupted when the Emperor keeled over from illness. He later complains about this to his contact back home, and hopes that the Emperor will recover so that he'll have an opportunity to try again later.
** Another version comes from Londo stating early on that, due a prophetic dream, he ''knows'' that [[spoiler: he and G'Kar will strangle each other to death]]. In a moment of rage Londo tries and defy that by [[spoiler: grabbing a gun to murder G'Kar]], and later [[spoiler: G'Kar tries and kill Londo by not saving both of their lives in a dangerous situation]], but both times external factors make sure the prophecy will come to pass.
* In ''Series/StargateAtlantis,'' Ronon wants to be the one to defeat a Wraith bruiser, telling Sheppard that he'd kill him if Sheppard killed the Wraith before Ronon. [[spoiler:The Wraith beats the living crap out of Ronon until Rodney and Carson hit him with a missile. They're both profoundly apprehensive about it...until Ronon gives Carson a big hug and thanks him instead.]]

* This is Patrick Jane's attitude about Red John in ''Series/TheMentalist'', but not to the point of helping him out of other scrapes.
** The feeling is mutual, and Red John ''is'' willing to extend his own efforts to protect Patrick from those less worthy.
* ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'': Crixus expressed this sentiment towards Spartacus during and after the Segovax incident.
* In ''Series/{{Castle}}'', a conversation between Beckett and Senator Bracken, the man who, years earlier, hired a hitman to kill her mother, upon being forced to defend the man against an unknown sniper:
-->'''Bracken''' A shooter... on the loose... me in the crosshairs... must be a dream come true for you. \\
'''Beckett''' In my dreams, I'm the one who gets to pull the trigger.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'':
** In "Identity", China White is glad to see that the Arrow didn't die in [[spoiler: the earthquake]] at the end of Season 1, as it would have deprived her of the chance to kill him herself.
** [[spoiler: [[TheManBehindTheMan Slade]]]] enforces this throughout Season 2. He warns Brother Blood not to go after Arrow yet, so that when the time is right, ''he'' can be the one to finish him, after [[RevengeByProxy destroying everything he cares about]].
* The Doctor from ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' is obsessed with getting his revenge on [[spoiler: Whitehall]] for killing his wife. When [[spoiler: Coulson]] kills him just as the Doctor is about to begin their fight, the Doctor has a VillainousBreakdown and shifts all of his anger to [[spoiler: Coulson.]]
* ''Series/{{Elementary}}'':
** Moriarty feels this about Sherlock. Sherlock is a unique and interesting player against Moriarty. Sherlock's actions have garnered some respect and unique feelings in the criminal mastermind. This extended to Moriarty calling off two assassins in the cabal from harming Sherlock. When one goes rogue and wants to hurt Moriarty, he goes after Sherlock to kill him [[spoiler:which forces Moriarty to kill the assassin in front of Sherlock and reveal herself to be Irene Adler]].
** Watson also gains this view from Moriarty. After the events of the first season finale [[spoiler:where Joan Watson "solved" Jamie Moriarty and identifies a weak spot that allows her capture]] and later Watson proving her intelligence by avoiding Moriarty's mind games, Moriarty doesn't like other criminals trying to hurt Joan. [[spoiler:So when the leader of a drug cartel in jail tried to poison Joan and only managed to kill her boyfriend, Moriarty had the woman killed and left no evidence leading back to her. Only in a letter to Joan does she even subtly hint at her involvement in removing this danger to Joan's life]].
* ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance'': After being badly wounded, [=skekVar=] is saved from being killed by Tavra when his [[TheRival rival]] the Chamberlain comes to his rescue. [=SkekVar=] believes that he misjudged the Chamberlain and calls him a true friend... [[spoiler:not realizing until far too late that the Chamberlain only saved him so he could kill [=skekVar=] ''personally'' when the time is right. [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice Which he does]].]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}'', when BigBad Khrima (a HarmlessVillain) saves the heroes from [[KnightOfCerebus Eternion]] in a BigDamnHeroes moment, he does it because he doesn't want another villain upstaging him.

* ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'': When Helen hears that the Dave Conspiracy has hired Mell to kill Dr. Narbon, she exclaims, "I don't care if they ''are'' a powerful top-secret conspiracy! No one takes out a hit on my mother! Her head is ''mine'', darn it!"
* Parodied in ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' when Benny heals the mortally wounded man who killed her lover, just long enough to smash his head with a mace.
* In ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily,'' Meta-Knight has Kirby cornered when Dedede attacks him from behind, saying "This is MY battle." To his dismay, Kirby hugs him in gratitude.
* ''Webcomic/LastRes0rt'' has Jason Spades filling out this role to a tee:
-->'''Jason:''' [[http://www.lastres0rt.com/2007/06/daisy-daisy-give-me-your-answer-true/ Doctor Archanis, the name's Jason Spades.]] On behalf of planet Fenirel, it will be an honor and a pleasure to be your executioner.
* Taken to an extreme in ''Webcomic/{{Spacetrawler}}'': Growp won't allow anyone else to kill Emily. So when his teammates fire at Emily, he shields her from the energy blasts--[[TakingTheBullet with his own body]].
* In ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', Dellyn knows Thaco has some sort of trickery planned when Thaco challenges him to a duel, but still accepts when Thaco points out that [[BatmanGambit Dellyn would rather kill Thaco personally than let one of his men do it for him]]. Later subverted when Dellyn believes Thaco feels the same way, but Thaco refuses to kill Dellyn or call him his nemesis.
* Shicmuon from ''Webcomic/BlackHaze'' is positively ''[[StalkerWithoutACrush obsessed]]'' with the Black Magician Blow, AKA Rood Chrishi, to the point where he stalks every mission Blow could possibly go on just for the chance to fight him to the death. Hilariously, Rood has ''[[UnknownRival absolutely no idea who Shic even is]]'' outside of "that crazy guy who stalks me" and so goes to extreme measures to stay hidden and refrain from engaging him. This gets exaggerated to the point where Shic has gone out of his way to ''rescue'' Rood just so that he can kill him himself at a later date. Like the rest of the series, it's played up with a blend of drama and comedy.

* On ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' Mecha-Kara attacks Cable for this reason, as he was out to kill Linkara after he teleported him away and stole his gun.
* ''WebVideo/TheJokerBlogs'': The title character, unsurprisingly. While his priority in this series is [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Doctor Quinzel]], he doesn't appreciate another character taking a shot at Batman. "You do NOT get to do that!"
* ''WebVideo/PatTheNesPunk'' is saved by [[spoiler: R.O.B.]] in the "M82 ftw" video. When Pat asks why he bothered, [[spoiler: R.O.B.]] says that if anybody's going to kill Pat, it will be ''him''.

** Before the ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot, Joker had taken it upon himself to kill anyone who tried to kill Batman; only he can kill Batman & only Batman can kill him. Nothing more romantic than double homicide & hate is just another kind of love.

* ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s archenemy Black Manta is psychotically obsessed with killing Aquaman for [[MultipleChoicePast some reason or another]] (originally his motives changed often and were suggested to simply be made up to justify his obsession, but the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' retconned it into him wanting revenge for his [[YouKilledMyFather father's accidental death at Aquaman's hands]]). This goal is the only thing that Black Manta lives for and when Manta thinks Aquaman is dead in ''ComicBook/ForeverEvil'', he vows revenge against the people who claim to have killed him, the Crime Syndicate.

This may be motivated by respect given to a WorthyOpponent. It can lead into FoeYay if this excuse is used too much and opportunities to defeat the rival are not taken.

** This is actually a recurring trait with them. During "Trial of the Time Lord", the Master actually flat out says he'll help defeat the Valeyard because he wanted to defeat the Doctor himself. Even in "The End of Time", the Master sacrifices himself to save the Doctor from the Time Lords (and get revenge on Rassilon). Add in the epic amounts of ''FoeYay'' between these two, and it might just be that all the Master wants is to "keep" the Doctor all for himself, which he actually does in "Sound of the Drums"/"Last of the Time Lords"!

-->'''Jason:''' [[http://www.lastres0rt.com/2007/06/daisy-daisy-give-me-your-answer-true/ Doctor Archanis, the name's Jason Spades.]] On behalf of planet Fenirel, it will be an honor [[FoeYay and a pleasure]] to be your executioner.

One person or group considers another person or group as [[TheRival their rival]], and will not allow anyone else to be the one to defeat them. This can sometimes lead to them [[RivalsTeamUp helping their rival]] [[EnemyMine against other enemies]], justifying it with [[IWasJustPassingThrough a lame excuse]], to make sure that they survive until the final battle between the rivals. Sometimes, this trope can become the basis of a HeelFaceTurn. It also frequently leads to NotSoDifferent and AntagonistInMourning.

* In ''Literature/TheVillainsSeries'', Eli and Victor both have this attitude towards each other. They both hold extremely deep and personal grudges against the other, and the [[WeUsedToBeFriends emotionally charged]] [[NotSoDifferent nature of their relationship]] probably doesn't help.

* An interesting variation appears in the ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' AU ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24720043/chapters/59752849 Nemesis]]''. High-profile villains can effectively invoke this by declaring a specific Pro Hero to be their nemesis; this gives the Hero special privileges to automatically get involved with any case involving that villain, but also saddles them with the pressure of being seen as personally responsible for dealing with them. This world's version of Midoriya Izuku, who [[FakingTheDead faked his own death]] and became the evil Mischief, exploits this by declaring 'Kacchan' to be his nemesis the day after Bakugou Katsuki gets his provisional hero license, forcing him into the spotlight alongside a crime spree highlighting how he bullied him in the past.

* ''Fanfic/QueenOfAllOni'': When Ikazuki selects Tohru as his new host, Jade lashes out at him, since she views Tohru as her ArchEnemy and doesn't want anyone else to harm him. Unfortunately for her, Ikazsuki is more powerful and forces her to do things his way.

* ''Fanfic/JewelOfDarkness'': Midnight finishes off an EldritchAbomination that the Titans were fighting, telling them that she'll only let them be destroyed when she decides.
** Subverted by Slade when the Titans are captured by Mad Mod during the second arc -- he states that whether or not the Titans succumb to Mod's brainwashing, it doesn't affect his plans, so he doesn't care.
* Firefly from ''Fanfic/AceCombatTheEquestrianWar'' won't let anypony else, but herself take Black Star down. This is because [[spoiler: she promised herself to avenge her parents by defeating their murderer]].
* A rare heroic variant occurs in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' based ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2742870/1/One-Last-Smash One Last Smash]]''. In it, the Nintendo Universe is protected by the characters from the first two games. Eventually, someone starts murdering all of their enemies. While most of them are unsettled by this, Donkey Kong is outraged that someone killed K. Rool and his army, feeling that he was denied a final confrontation.
-->'''Donkey Kong:''' Gonna smash guy who smash K. Rool without tellin' Donkey.
* ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'': While [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Trixie]] apparently took on the case's prosecution [[RevengeByProxy to settle a score with Twilight]], as the case unravels she starts getting personal with the defense, [[Franchise/AceAttorney Phoenix]]. Eventually, when a witness gets too aggressive with him:
-->'''Trixie:''' Leave him alone! You're the one who's dead meat if you lie again!\\
'''Phoenix:''' ''[[FirstPersonSmartass (How cute, she's sticking up for me.)]]''\\
'''Trixie:''' Besides, Mr. Wrong is Trixie's! He shall feel the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie's wrath before this trial is over!\\
'''Phoenix:''' ''(Or not...)''
* In ''Fanfic/SubstituteHarmony'', after Pinkie Pie is falsely implicated for the disappearances of her friends, Trixie shows up and wants to kill her... because she wanted to defeat Twilight Sparkle first. Gilda shows up for similar reasons, as (she believes) Pinkie has robbed her of her last chance to patch things up with Dash.
* In ''Fanfic/MegaManReawakened'', Bass is this to Megaman.
** Crash Man also tries to be this, which ends up taking out some of his fellow robots.
* In ''Fanfic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', [=ProtoMan=] is like this towards Mega for a good while.
** [[spoiler:Bass]] is also this to a much more frightening degree.
* In ''Fanfic/MegaManRecut'', Proto Man is slowly becoming this towards Mega Man.

-->'''Vegeta:'''(increasing in volume as he gets closer) Mine, Mine, Mine-\\
'''Krillin:'''(while the above continues) Does anyone else hear that?\\

'''Vegeta:''' '''[=MINE!=]''' (punches Android 19 away) '''Mine.'''

-->'''Vegeta:'''(after kicking Metal Cooler away) Apologies, but if anyone's gonna kill Kakarot.(turns Super Saiyan) '''It's me.'''\\

-->'''Vegeta:''' Nobody's killing that idiot but me.\\

* A [[WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girls]] story, "My Buttercup Runneth Over," has Blossom and Bubbles trying to bring Buttercup out of a depressive funk by getting the Amoeba Boys to put them in a dire strait so she'll come to the rescue. When Mojo Jojo and Him see Blossom and Bubbles being imperiled by the witless Amoebas, they arrive and begin fighting with each other over who should be the one to defeat the girls.
* In ''Fanfic/TheNewAdventuresOfInvaderZim'', Zim makes it clear to [[TheDragon Norlock]] that he won't let anyone else kill Dib but him. He later extends this attitude to Tak as well, but he's not as strict towards it as he is in regards to Dib.
** Season 2 gives us an intense reminder of how strongly Zim holds to this view on Dib. When he finds out that his new PsychoSupporter Nyx has tried to do him a favor by [[CarnivalOfKillers putting a hit out on Dib]], Zim is ''enraged'', assaulting her and threatening to kill her if she ever pulls a stunt like this again, before storming off to [[VillainousRescue fight off any bounty hunters who show up]].
* ''Fanfic/TransformersAnimatedCybertronianGenesis'': Megatron's obsession with defeating Optimus Prime grows to the point that he assaults a heavily fortified fortress, resulting in heavy casualties for both sides, solely so he can defeat Optimus.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10340937/38/The-Return-Remixed The Return-Remixed]]'', when each team strategizing before the big battle royal that climaxes the story, Wrestling/KellyKelly declares that no one eliminates [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] but her, as Victoria had put Kelly's best friend, Wrestling/EveTorres, in the hospital by repeatedly powerbombing her on the exposed arena floor. Kelly further says that anyone else in the Diva Army eliminates Victoria, she will eliminate them.
* ''Fanfic/CodeGeassMegiddo'': Suzaku admits he's willing to wait an ''eternity'' for the day he can finally kill Lelouch.
* ''Fanfic/FatesCollide'': Penthesilea is obsessed with defeating Achilles. When Yang Xiao Long manages to beat Achilles in a fight, Penthesilea gets angry and vows revenge on her for taking her dream.
* In ''Fanfic/DontHazeMe'', Shego tells Kim that she aims to kill her and that she won't allow anyone else to kill her. When Kim eggs Shego on to try and kill her then and there, Shego ends up [[SlapSlapKiss kissing her]] instead.
* In the ProfessionalWrestling series ''Fanfic/TheJWL'', once their feud started, Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Rhyno}} became this, for each other.
* At the start of ''Webcomic/AnythingsPossible'', Shego gets offended when Kim comes to fight her already covered in bruises. Only ''she'' can toy with Kim.

[[/folder]]

-->'''Vegeta:'''(increasing in volume as he gets closer) Mine, Mine, Mine-//
'''Krillin:'''(while the above continues) Does anyone else hear that?//
'''Yamcha:''' Yeah and it's getting closer.//
'''Tien:''' And it sounds an awful lot like-//

-->'''Vegeta:'''(after kicking Metal Cooler away) Apologies, but if anyone's gonna kill Kakarot.(turns Super Saiyan) '''It's me.'''//
'''Goku:''' But you're not even good at it.//

-->'''Vegeta:''' Nobody's killing that idiot but me.//

* In ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'', Dormammu is so obsessed with destroying Strange himself that he practically gave up [[AGodAmI godhood]] just to fight him. What's more, he has fought Strange hand-to-hand, [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim rather than obliterating him with his superior power]] and subsequently lost. (Of course, Strange is enough of a GuileHero to exploit this weakness.)

* On an 1987 edition of ''Wrestling/SaturdayNightsMainEvent'', Wrestling/RandySavage interfered in an Intercontinental title match between Wrestling/RickySteamboat (the one who defeated Savage for the title at [=WrestleMania=] III) and Hercules Hernandez, helping Steamboat win and then attacking him after the match.

In some cases it can simply be fueled by pure {{pride}}, as [[ItsAllAboutMe a more egotistical villain]] will find the mere thought of someone else taking credit for a goal he has worked so hard for utterly insufferable.

** ''Comicbook/DeathOfTheFamily'': Interestingly enough, Batman has taken this attitude towards Joker, and is even turning down the Batfamily's offers to assist him. This may come back to haunt Batman....

* In an early ''Comicbook/ShangChi: Master of Kung Fu'' story, the title character was captured by a gangster who intended to kill him. At the last second, Literature/FuManchu, Shang-Chi's ArchnemesisDad, arrived and had his troops slaughter the gangster's henchmen. Just before departing, Fu Manchu stated that he intervened because only he may decide when and how Shang-Chi will perish.

* This is something of an inversion of their relationship in the {{Creator/Marvel|Comics}} ''[[Comicbook/TheTransformers Generation 1]]'' comic. In a story by Bob Budiansky, Optimus and Megatron agree to settle their differences by video game tournament, and Megatron wins (by cheating). Thus, the ref blows up Optimus, and so Megatron slides into depression and insanity due to not being the one that struck the fatal blow. In fact, he is so obsessed over the matter, that when Brawl tries to console him, Megatron crushes his head; and when Brawl, the most AxCrazy of the Combaticons, is trying to be the voice of reason, you know Megs has gone over the edge.

* {{ComicBook/Daken}} has this with his [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} father]]; he fought ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} when it seemed he was about to kill Logan. Of course Wolverine set the whole thing up.

* ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'':

* Comicbook/DoctorDoom is perfectly willing to save the Comicbook/FantasticFour from certain death at the hands of anyone else, just so that he can kill them himself later. However, he only gets involved if [[ArchEnemy Reed Richards]] is with them — if only the other three are in danger, he couldn't care less.
** During the ''Comicbook/{{Onslaught}}'' crossover, Doom was at his embassy in New York City, and dispassionately listening to reports of the devastation Onslaught was inflicting on the city. It was pretty obvious he had no stake in the fight and was planning on staying out of it...until one of his people informed him that Onslaught had kidnapped Reed Richards' son Franklin. Saying that Doom was seriously pissed off is an understatement. "This mutant upstart ''dares'' to kidnap the son of my greatest enemy? It's apparent this Onslaught individual is going to require my personal attention!"
** In a storyline where the original Fantastic Four were killed and their positions taken up by Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk and Comicbook/GhostRider, Doom stepped in and killed the enemies threatening them, saying "None may defeat the Fantastic Four... save Doom." Evidently being stand-ins count.
* This is Dr. Eggman's attitude toward Sonic in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog''. In the 2010 Free Comic Book Day issue, one of the badniks created by the original Eggman/Robotnik is about to kill Sonic...and he proceeds to destroy it so it wouldn't "ruin his time-table", much to [[TheStarscream Snively's]] ''immense'' frustration.

* ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s archenemy Black Manta is psychotically obsessed with killing Aquaman for [[MultipleChoicePast some reason or another]] (originally his motives changed often and were suggested to simply be made up to justify his obsession, but the ''Comicbook/{{New 52}}'' retconned it into him wanting revenge for his [[YouKilledMyFather father's accidental death at Aquaman's hands]]). This goal is the only thing that Black Manta lives for and when Manta thinks Aquaman is dead in ''Comicbook/ForeverEvil'', he vows revenge against the people who claim to have killed him, the Crime Syndicate.

* Something like this happens in ''Comicbook/DeadpoolKillsTheMarvelUniverse'', when Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk rips Comicbook/{{Deadpool}} apart.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}''

* ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni'': When Ikazuki selects Tohru as his new host, Jade lashes out at him, since she views Tohru as her ArchEnemy and doesn't want anyone else to harm him. Unfortunately for her, Ikazsuki is more powerful and forces her to do things his way.

* ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'': Midnight finishes off an EldritchAbomination that the Titans were fighting, telling them that she'll only let them be destroyed when she decides.

* In ''FanFic/MegaManReawakened'', Bass is this to Megaman.

* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', [=ProtoMan=] is like this towards Mega for a good while.

* In ''FanFic/MegaManRecut'', Proto Man is slowly becoming this towards Mega Man.

* ''FanFic/TransformersAnimatedCybertronianGenesis'': Megatron's obsession with defeating Optimus Prime grows to the point that he assaults a heavily fortified fortress, resulting in heavy casualties for both sides, solely so he can defeat Optimus.

* ''FanFic/CodeGeassMegiddo'': Suzaku admits he's willing to wait an ''eternity'' for the day he can finally kill Lelouch.

* A more reasonable example occurs in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}''. Silva's actual grudge is against M, and he tells his men that only he can kill her. He doesn't care who kills Bond. [[spoiler:When he sees that M has already been mortally wounded, [[VillainousBreakdown he practically breaks down]].]]
* A curious subversion in ''Film/TheHobbit''. Azog the Defiler has no problem having one of his underlings collect [[spoiler: Thorin's]] head. Presumably he thought he was already dead.