History Main / VengeanceDenied

* ''Film/Goldfinger'': When Auric Goldfinger has one of his minions, the lovely Jill Masterson, get painted-gold-to death (for the 'crime' of being a sympathetic character and shagging James Bond), her sister, Tilly Masterson, vows revenge and goes on a mission to kill Goldfinger. However; Tilly's in over her head and gets herself killed (but Bond does the job for her in the end).

* ''Literature/SpaceWolf'': Ragnar intends to kill Strybjorn to avenge his father, whom Strybjorn killed in an attack on Ragnar's clan's settlement where they both died and were revived by the Space Wolves as cadets for the Space Marine chapter. Senior Space Wolves tell Ragnar that his old life and its vengeances are over and that Strybjorn is his comrade in arms now. The two men eventually become FireForgedFriends while fighting their way out of a Thousand Sons enclave on Fenris and Ragnar's quest for vengeance is forgotten.

* ''{{Northgard}}'': In Rig's story, after finally cornering [[YouKilledMyFather Hagen]], Hagen is killed by his [[TheStarscream second-in-command who has abandoned him as a lost cause]]. Rig is only dissuaded from killing the second-in-command because she points out that Hagen was a mercenary: Someone else had paid him to kill Rig's father. Rig accepts her logic and swears undying revenge on Hagen's employer instead.

* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar:'' Thor's main goal is to kill Thanos to avenge the deaths of this brother, his friend and his people. However, Thanos survives Thor's attack and teleports away after performing his BadassFingersnap, leaving Thor in shock.

** Eugene Greenhilt, father of Roy, made a BloodOath of Vengeance against Xykon for killing his master. He died before the beginning of the story, but not before telling his son to do it on his stead.

* ''Manga/FrankenFran'': After finding out that her good friend was [[spoiler:gang-raped multiple times and eventually murdered]], Veronica wants to get revenge on the culprits, but is forbidden to do so by Gavrill, after having just provided Veronica with their names. Note that Gavrill easily {{Curb Stomp|Battle}}ed the other earlier in the story, making her able to enforce this. [[SubvertedTrope However]], Veronica still gets her vengeance, after it is revealed that [[spoiler:her friend pulled a ThanatosGambit, wherein she gave herself a lethal STD that gives male genitalia a ''very'' bad time. So yeah, they all died horribly anyway.]]

[[folder:Light Novel]]
* In the ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' LightNovel, ''LightNovel/PurpleHazeFeedback'', we find out that the character Sheila E. infiltrated the Passione gang in order to get revenge on Illuso, who killed her sister. During the events of part 5, Pannacotta Fugo kills Illuso before Sheila can do it. Sheila takes this quite well: considering how Fugo's Stand, Purple Haze, inflicts [[CruelAndUnusualDeath an extremely gruesome and painful death to its victims via being eaten alive by a virus]], she finds it to be a fitting end for such an evil man.
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[[folder:Live-Action Television]]

-->--'''Goliath''', ''{{WesternAnimation/Gargoyles}}''

* ''Manga/FrankenFran'': After finding out that her good friend was [[spoiler:gang-raped multiple times and eventually murdered]], Veronica wants to get revenge on the culprits, but is forbidden to do so by Gavrill, after having just provided Veronica with their names. Note that Gavrill easily {{Curb Stomp|Battle}}ed the other earlier in the story, making her able to enforce this. [[SubvertedTrope However]], Veronica still gets her vengeance, after it is revealed that [[spoiler:her friend pulled a ThanatosGambit, wherein she gave herself a lethal STD that gives male genitalia a ''very'' bad time. So yeah, they all died horribly anyway.]]
* In the Fishman Island arc of ''[[Anime/OnePiece One Piece,]]'' King Neptune reluctantly refrains from avenging the murder of Queen Otohime because it would perpetuate the CycleOfRevenge she dedicated her life to ending.

* In the second volume of the manga adaptation of ''Anime/AfroSamurai'', [[spoiler:Justice had already died by the time Afro got to him, preventing him from getting proper revenge. This also happens in the game, but Afro instead works through his issues by battling a mental version of Justice, granting him peace even if he couldn't get vengeance.]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' movies, Mace Windu kills Boba Fett's (for lack of a better word) father, Jango Fett. Before the young Boba can get his revenge, Windu is killed by Palpatine.
* In ''Film/BatmanForever'', Dick Grayson wants revenge on Two Face for the deaths of his parents and brother. Batman ultimately causes Two Face's death, because he understands how Dick feels and doesn't want the young man to end up like himself.

* In "Down and Out in Purgatory" by Creator/TimPowers, the protagonist spends years plotting the death of the man who murdered the love of his life, only for the man to die of natural causes. This is where the story ''begins''; the protagonist refuses to let this stop him, and pursues his quarry into the afterlife.
* In Lauren Groff's ''The Monsters of Templeton'', many characters have been wronged by Marmaduke Temple, and three of them are angry enough to kill him. [[LotsaPeopleTryToDunIt And all three try to do it on the same night.]] One succeeds; the other two back off, but don't seem too perturbed at being beaten to the punch.
* ''Literature/ThePledge'': The titular promise is done by the protagonist detective to avenge the death of a little girl at the hands of a SerialKiller to her parents. After a long time figuring out the man's tactics he sets up what he thinks is a fool-proof trap.... and the man never arrives. And the detective spends many years afterwards waiting for him, having destroyed his career and relationship with everybody he ever cared about once the fact he used the daughter of a woman he befriended as bait. Turns out that the serial killer ''was'' going to fall into the trap, but some random idiot driver hit his car and killed him instantly -- a fact that is told to the other detective in charge of the case by the wife of the killer, as a DeathbedConfession. The story ends with the detective that made the pledge, now so addled from senility that he can't really think of more than maintaining his vigilance of the trap, refusing to accept that it was AllForNothing.

%% * Neville Longbottom in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' series made it his life's mission to take down Bellatrix Lestrange when word broke that she had escaped from Azkaban. Unfortunately, the one time they actually met in combat, she wiped the floor with him. He never got a second chance to go for her, because during the last battle, [[spoiler:Bellatrix attempts to kill Ginny Weasley, which causes [[MamaBear Molly Weasley]] to step in and kill Bellatrix.]]

* ''Series/{{StargateSG1}}'': Teal'c was after the Goauld Chronos for most of the first seasons, until his revenge was denied by a robotic copy of himself who killed him instead. Unsurprisingly for the character, he was perfectly satisfied with the result.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** John Winchester spends nearly thirty years [[HunterOfMonsters hunting and killing monsters]], searching for the entity that [[DeathByOriginStory murdered his wife, Mary]]. At the end of season 1, he finally finds out that it was the demon Azazel. John gathers as much intel as he can, finds a gun capable of killing a demon, and gathers [[{{Deuteragonist}} his sons]] as back up. Then the entire family is involved in a [[SurpriseCarCrash terrible car crash]], and John's oldest, Dean, receives life threatening wounds. He's not expected to live. Desperate, John makes a [[DealWithTheDevil demon deal]] with Azazel, exchanging his life and [[{{MacGuffin}} the only weapon capable of killing Azazel]]. After nearly 30 years of seeking revenge, not only does John not get his revenge, he has to ''willingly'' [[HeroicSacrifice give his life and soul]] to the very thing he sought to kill.
** Cole Trenton of season 10 has wanted revenge on Dean Winchester since witnessing [[ItsPersonal Dean killing Cole's father]] ten years earlier. He finally formulates a plan to exact revenge only to be thwarted and frustrated at every turn. He kidnaps Dean's [[BadassInDistress brother Sam]] with the intent of using him as emotional leverage, but Dean is currently [[HeWhoFightsMonsters a demon]] and tells Cole [[ThreatBackfire to kill Sam]]. Then Cole finds Dean and attacks him, but demonic Dean is unkillable and [[CurbStompBattle hands Cole his ass on a platter]]. So Cole finds out everything he can about demons, but by the time he catches up with [[TheHunterBecomesTheHunted the Winchesters again]], Dean is no longer a demon and demonic interrogation tactics such as holy water are useless. Finally, Cole inserts himself into a case the brothers are working, thinking to prove the Winchesters are murderous psychopaths only to find out that [[BrokenMasquerade monsters are real and his dad was likely the literal monster Dean said he was]].

* An interesting version is found in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. After the end of the first act, in which Hawke, Varric, and two of their friends are trapped and left for dead by Varric's backstabbing brother Bartrand, Varric spends the next few years determined to make him pay for this. (It's even more pronounced if one of those other two friends was [[spoiler:Hawke's younger sibling, who either dies or becomes a Grey Warden as a result]].) However, when he finally gets his chance, it's not nearly as satisfying as he expected: [[spoiler:Bartrand has gone completely mad due to the influence of a cursed PlotCoupon, and Varric either has to have him committed to an asylum or else put him out of his misery]]. No matter which route he takes, he's visibly crushed by it.

-> '''[[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} Goliath]]:''' ''I have been denied everything...'''Even My REVENGE!'''''

The RoaringRampageOfRevenge is a tried and true storytelling device. Someone has done something to the protagonist: [[YouKilledMyFather killed one or both of his parents]], [[PapaWolf hurt his children]], hurt or killed [[TrueCompanions one of his closest friends]] or [[TheMentor parent figures]] (or his [[YouKilledMyFather actual parents]]) and/or [[AFatherToHisMen someone at his command]], [[KickTheDog kicked his dog]]...

...but the expected revenge scene never comes.

Maybe someone else who had the same beef killed the offender. Or maybe someone else killed them for unrelated reasons. Maybe a ConflictKiller arrived so that the revenge has to be put to the back burner. Or maybe the avenger is foiled ''again'' by the avengee or its associates. Maybe the plans for revenge has been foiled by a SpannerInTheWorks. Or maybe the avenger planned a device for them only to end up [[HoistByHisOwnPetard trapped themselves by their own device]]. Or maybe karma, or divine intervention, did it first.

In any case, the avenger will either feel [[VengeanceFeelsEmpty emptiness]], disappointment, further rage, or relief because of this.

Compare AntiClimax, RedemptionRejection and KillSteal.

'''SPOILERS BEWARE'''

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' pilot episode had Goliath and the remaining survivors of his mostly-massacred clan seek revenge on the men they believe to be responsible, only for them to fall off a cliff and die, thus denying Goliath his opportunity to personally kill them himself (see the page quote).
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-> '''[[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} Goliath]]:''' ''I have been denied everything...'' '''''Even My REVENGE!'''''

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' pilot episode had Goliath and the remaining survivors of his mostly-massacred clan seek revenge on the men they believe to be responsible, only for them to fall off a cliff and die, thus denying Goliath his opportunity to personally kill them himself.

** During Cass' companion quest, Cass discovers that two rival businesses sabotaged her caravan and put her out of business, and demands that you help her track down and murder the culprits. If you wish, you can resolve the quest peacefully by finding evidence of the conspiracy and passing it to a representative of the NCR, who warns you not to interfere in the justice system by hurting the guilty parties. If you choose this option, Cass initially feels robbed of vengeance, but eventually warms to the idea that [[CruelMercy the NCR's legal procedures will mess her enemies up worse than bullets ever could]].

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]

[[folder: Film -- Live Action]]

[[folder: Literature]]

-->'''Rosemary:''' What the hell do you think you're doing!
-->'''Selendis:''' Protecting you.
-->'''Rosemary:''' Protecting me? You robbed me of my kill! He was all but dead! I didn't need protecting from anything!
-->'''Selendis:''' I did not protect you from [[spoiler:what Kerrigan left of]] Ethan Stewart. I protected you from slaughtering out of hate. We are warriors, you and I. We must sometimes take lives. But we should do it because it is necessary. Not because we enjoy it. It is my fervent hope that after this moment, you will never again have to slay with hatred in your heart.

[[folder: Live-Action Television]]

[[folder: Light Novel]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

--> '''Reaver:''' I thought he'd never shut up. Oh I'm sorry. Were you wanting to kill him?

-->"You stole my chance for revenge! Now I'll finish the work that father began! I will surpass him... I will ''destroy'' him!"

[[folder: Webcomics]]

-->'''Nale:''' I don't know what's more insulting -- that you thought you'd just be able to snuff me when this was over, or that you thought I wouldn't see it coming.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

At any case, the avenger would either feel [[VengeanceFeelsEmpty emptiness]], disappointment, further rage, or relief to this.

** In ''Mariel of Redwall'', '''every''' character claims dibs on the searat captain Gabool the Wild (including the hare who only joins in because everyone's doing it, volunteering to beat Gabool over the head with his instrument before everyone else has a go). In the end no one kills Gabool as he falls into his own scorpion pit.

* ''VideoGame/FableII'': This can happen in the final battle against Lucien, whom killed your sister and dog earlier on and my your life miserable. Upon reaching him, he starts giving a monologue which you can stop by shooting him. If you wait for him to finish however, Reaver will shoot him and acknowledge taking your revenge away.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', Sylvanas Windrunner's shot at payback against Arthas for destroying her hometown, killing her and turning her into one of his banshee thralls, leaving her as an undead, fails not just once, but three times. When she has Arthas paralyzed by a venomous arrow and is ready to [[ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine do to him as he did to her]], [[OurLichesAreDifferent Kel'Thuzad]] [[VillainousRescue kills off Sylvanas' fellow banshees]] and forces her to flee. Later, when she faces him in the final showdown after he has become the Lich King, [[OneWingedAngel he overwhelms her]] and forces her to retreat on his own, as she realizes she'll need an army even bigger than the Horde. She never gets another shot, as Tirion Fordring and his army finish Arthas once and for all.

** Eugene Greenhilt, father of Roy, gave out a BloodOath of Vengeance against Xykon for killing his master. He died before the beginning of the story, but not before telling his son to do it on his stead.

The RoaringRampageOfRevenge is a tried and true storytelling device. Someone has done something to the protagonist: [[YouKilledMyFather killed one or both of his parents]], [[PapaWolf hurt his children]], hurt or killed [[TrueCompanions one of his closest friends]] or [[TheMentor parent figures]] and/or [[AFatherToHisMen someone at his command]], [[KickTheDog kicked his dog]]...

The RoaringRampageOfRevenge is a tried and true storytelling device. Someone has done something to the protagonist: [[YouKilledMyFather killed one or both of his parents]], [[PapaWolf hurt his children]], hurt or killed [[TrueCompanions one of his closest friends]] and/or [[AFatherToHisMen someone at his command]], [[KickTheDog kicked his dog]]...

At any case, the avenger would feel [[VengeanceFeelsEmpty emptiness]], disappointment, further rage, or relief to this.

[[folder: Live-Action Film]]
* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' movies, Mace Windu kills Boba Fett's (for lack of a better word) father, Jango Fett. Before the young Boba can get his revenge, Windu is killed by Palpatine.

--->'''Nale:''' I don't know what's more insulting -- that you thought you'd just be able to snuff me when this was over, or that you thought I wouldn't see it coming.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' pilot episode had Goliath and the remaining survivors of his mostly massacred clan seek revenge on the men they believe to be responsible, only for them to fall off a cliff and die, thus denying Goliath his opportunity to personally kill them himself.

The RoaringRampageofRevenge is a tried and true storytelling device. Someone has done something to the protagonist: [[YouKilledMyFather killed one or both of his parents]], [[PapaWolf hurt his children]], hurt or killed [[TrueCompanions one of his closest friends]] and/or [[AFatherToHisMen someone at his command]], [[KickTheDog kicked his dog]]...

-->'''Nale:''' I don't know what's more insulting -- that you thought you'd just be able to snuff me when this was over, or that you thought I wouldn't see it coming.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' pilot episode had Goliath and the remaining survivors of his mostly-massacred clan seek revenge on the men they believe to be responsible, only for them to fall off a cliff and die, thus denying Goliath his opportunity to personally kill them himself.
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!!Indexes
* RevengeTropes
* SpoileredRotten