History Main / WontDoYourDirtyWork

* Towards the end of ''{{ComicBook/Transmetropolitan}}'', the Smiler orders his Secret Service agents to kill Spider Jerusalem. The agents tell him to get bent. The Smiler decides to kill Spider himself... only for Spider to reveal he has a live microphone.

[[EveryoneHasStandards There are lines many of us won't cross]], whether it's being told to [[ShootTheHostage shoot an unarmed victim]], [[WouldHitAGirl assault a woman]], [[NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught cheat to win]], [[WouldHurtAChild attack some kids]], [[ICannotSelfTerminate help someone die]], [[WouldHarmASenior terrorize old people]], and so on. If enough [[TraumaCongaLine trauma]] and [[ItsPersonal bad blood]] builds up between asker and asked, [[BadBoss no matter how much invective or vitriol is used]], the latter simply won't [[MoralEventHorizon take that final leap]]. Rather, the underling [[GrewASpine gets tough]] and says: "You know what? If you want it that bad, [[VillainNoLongerIdle do it yourself]]."

[[folder: Comic Books]]

[[folder: Films - Animated ]]

[[folder: Films - Live Action]]

* ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'': A downgraded example occurs during season 2, when [[TheSnarkKnight Hachiman Hikigaya]] takes the job of Iroha's plan to make a Christmas event with another school, but later he came overpassed by it, breaking up the Service Club indirectly. In [[WhamEpisode episode 8]], TheHermit breaks his habit and [[ICantDoThisByMyself asks his partners Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita for help]], being rejected by the latter briefly before he made his HiddenDepths speech of [[ArcWords wanting something genuine]].

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': In "The Hunted", the ''Enterprise'' travels to the planet Angosia, which is applying to join the Federation, but discover that the Angosian government has been abusing their war veterans (they programmed to be the perfect soldier, [[OutOfSightOutOfMind only to effectively shun them after they returned, because they could not readjust to a previously normal life]]). When one soldier, Roga Danar, escapes, the Angosian prime minister, Nayrock, asks Picard for help, but brushes away many of Picard's inquiries by answering that these are "matters of internal security, which is not your concern.". Later, when the soldiers rise up and try to hold the Angosian leaders hostage, Nayrok pleads for Picard's help, but Picard points out "[[IronicEcho In your own words, this is not our affair]].", and he leaves, having seen enough of Angosia's hypocrisy and respecting the soldiers' right to decide their future against their government.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': Spencer tries to get Negan to kill Rick so that he can take over the community. Negan sees right through this and doesn't like it when people don't have the guts to do their own dirty work. It doesn't end well for Spencer...

[[folder: Music]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

[[folder: Light Novels]]
* ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'': A downgraded example occurs during season 2, when [[TheSnarkKnight Hachiman Hikigaya]] takes the job of Iroha's plan to make a Christmas event with another school, but later he came overpassed by it, breaking up the Service Club indirectly. In [[WhamEpisode episode 8]], TheHermit breaks his habit and [[ICantDoThisByMyself asks his partners Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita for help]], being rejected by the latter briefly before he made his HiddenDepths speech of [[ArcWords wanting something genuine]].
-->'''Yukino:''' ''(after hearing Hachiman's favor)'' If this is all your doing, and yours alone, then don't you think you ought to resolve yourself?
[[/folder]]

* ''ComicBook/ButtonMan'': Harry Exton has no problem taking other lives for money, but usually these are other Button Men who chose to fight Harry for the same reason. On at least one occasion Harry is called up for a job by his employers, only to refuse when he learns that the target is an innocent man with no combat experience, telling the other men assembled to do it themselves before leaving.

Goes well with [[RantInducingSlight rants]] of all shapes and sizes. Saying "ThatsAnOrder" may no longer work after this trope is invoked. May lead whoever was asked to do the dirty work to ResignInProtest or otherwise say ScrewThisImOuttaHere. Might also be the cause of a MookFaceTurn.

Compare with TheyreCalledPersonalIssuesForAReason, which can justify this response, BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork, when someone villainous does the deeds because the hero won't stoop to that level, and ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself, a more positive variant. See also DirtyBusiness, when the acts themselves are the main focus, and VillainNoLongerIdle, when the bad guy gets the message and acts accordingly.

* In the fifth season of ''Series/TheExpanse'', Naomi attempts to reconnect with her long-lost son Filip, who was taken from her as a baby by his father, Marco, who tried using Filip as a hostage to force Naomi to continue supporting his terrorist agenda. She winds up being taken captive aboard Marco's ship, and after she manages to thwart one of Marco's plans, he orders her ThrownOutTheAirlock. The problem is that Marco gives that order to Filip and Cyn, (who is Marco's TokenGoodTeammate and regards Naomi as [[LikeASonToMe practically like his daughter]]) who are first are so dumbfounded they can't even really respond, and when Marco repeats the order, Cyn furiously refuses, an extreme rarity since Cyn regards Marco as a [[VisionaryVillain visionary]] and generally goes along with Marco's orders even when he doesn't like or understand them.

'''Cyn:''' [[SuddenlyShouting DO IT YOURSELF]]! If it has to be done, you can do it. I'm not going to let Filip be part of this. Unless you think you can make me, hmm? Maybe I finally got old enough, huh?

* In ''Film/TrainingDay'', when various ghetto residents, including many {{Gangbangers}} who've been forced to obey Alonzo, come out to see the commotion between him and Jake, Alonzo tries to get them to kill Jake for him. Bone, the lead gangster, refuses and tells Alonzo he needs to do it himself, with the clear implication that if Alonzo can't beat Jake on his own, he'll lose all his VillainCred, which in turn would [[NotAfraidOfYouAnymore make the local residents lose their fear of Alonzo]].

[[folder:Comic Books]]

[[folder:Light Novels]]
* ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'': A downgraded example occurs during season 2, when [[TheSnarkKnight Hachiman Hikigaya]] takes the job of Iroha's plan to make a Christmas event with other school, but later he came overpassed by it, breaking up the Service Club indirectly. In [[WhamEpisode episode 8]], TheHermit breaks his habit and [[ICantDoThisByMyself asks his partners Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita for help]], being rejected by the latter briefly before he made his HiddenDepths speech of [[ArcWords wanting something genuine]].

[[folder:Films - Animated ]]

[[folder:Films - Live Action]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]

''(Jesse hesitates, he then notices that [[spoiler:Walt is already heavily wounded]] and lets the gun slip from his hand)''\\

* In the fifth season of ''Series/TheExpanse'', Naomi attempts to reconnect with her long-lost son Filip, who was taken from her as a baby by his father, Marco, who tried using Filip as a hostage to force Naomi to continue supporting his terrorist agenda. She winds up taken captive aboard Marco's ship, and after she manages to thwart one of Marco's plans he orders her ThrownOutTheAirlock. The problem is that Marco gives that order to Filip and Cyn, (who is Marco's TokenGoodTeammate and regards Naomi as [[LikeASonToMe practically like his daughter]]) who are first are so dumbfounded they can't even really respond, and when Marco repeats the order, Cyn furiously refuses, an extreme rarity since Cyn regards Marco as a [[VisionaryVillain visionary]] and generally goes along with Marco's orders, even when he doesn't like or understand them.

'''Cyn:''' [[SuddenlyShouting DO IT YOURSELF]]! If it has to be done you can do it. I'm not going to let Filip be part of this. Unless you think you can make me, hmm? Maybe I finally got old enough, huh?
* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'': In "Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse", Will's deadbeat father Lou returns hoping to repair their broken relationship. Unfortunately, Lou has to cancel plans for his and Will's cross-country road trip. He reveals this to Phil, who was already weary about Lou coming back into Will's life. When Lou asks Phil to Will he is cancelling the trip on Lou's behalf, Phil tells him that he won't do his dirty work for him.

* ''Series/{{Scorpion}}'': When Happy and Toby go public with their relationship, Walter tells them they either have to break up, or one of them leave Scorpion. After an episode agonising, they announce their decision: [[TakeAThirdOption Screw you, Walter.]] They're staying together, and they're staying in Scorpion, and if Walter doesn't like that he'll have to fire them himself. Walter, who's spent the episode with various team members telling him he's a jerk, wisely lets it go.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': Spencer tries to get Negan to kill Rick so that he can take over the community. Negan sees right through this, and doesn't like it when people don't have the guts to do their own dirty work. It doesn't end well for Spencer...

[[folder:Music]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]

-->'''Alonzo:''' Somebody drop this fool for me.
-->'''Bone:''' ''[Steps forward with a gun, then drops it in the street]'' You got us twisted, homie. You gotta put your own work in around here.
-->'''Alonzo:''' Oh, it's like that, Bo-
-->'''Bone:''' Yeah, it's like that.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'': In [[Recap/BreakingBadS5E16Felina "Felina"]], after Walter [[spoiler: slaughters the Neo-Nazi gang]], he and Jesse have a final exchange with a gun between them:
-->'''Jesse''': Tell me you want [[ICannotSelfTerminate this]]!
-->'''Walter''': [[DeathSeeker I want this]].
-->(Jesse hesitates, then throws the gun on the floor.)
-->'''Jesse''': Then do it yourself.

-->'''Marco:''' Space her.
-->'''Cyn:''' ''[Stares at Marco in disbelief]'' What?
-->'''Marco:''' You heard me. We treated her with respect. And she betrayed us, gave aid to our enemies, ''tried to take my life!''
-->'''Cyn:''' I know, but... it's ''[[TrueCompanions Naomi]]''.
-->'''Marco:''' You will do what I tell you to!
-->'''Cyn:''' [[SuddenlyShouting DO IT YOURSELF]]! If it has to be done you can do it. I'm not going to let Filip be part of this. Unless you think you can make me, hmm? Maybe I finally got old enough, huh?

-->'''Mike:''' Hey, Gypsy, can you...?
-->'''Gypsy:''' Uh uh! No way! This is your dishwashing liquid, you soak in it!

-->'''Homer''': [[DoWrongRight You do your own dirty work]].

!!Examples

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Towards the end of ''{{ComicBook/Transmetropolitan}}'', the Smiler orders his Secret Service agents to kill Spider Jerusalem. The agents tell him to get bent. The Smiler decides to kill Spider himself... only for Spider to reveal he has a live microphone.
[[/folder]]

[[AC: Anime & Manga]]

[[AC: Comic Books]]

[[AC: Animated Film]]

[[AC: Live-Action Film]]

[[AC: Live-Action TV]]

[[AC: Music]]

[[AC: Western Animation]]

* ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'': A downgraded example occurs during the season 2, when [[TheSnarkKnight Hachiman Hikigaya]] takes for himself the job of Iroha's plan to make a Christmas event with other school, but later he came overpassed by it, and also breaking up the Service Club indirectly. So, in the [[WhamEpisode episode 8]], TheHermit breaks his habit and [[ICantDoThisByMyself asks his partners Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita for help]], being rejected by the latter briefly before he made his HiddenDepths speech of [[ArcWords wanting something genuine]].

->''I'm a fool to do your dirty work\\\\
Oh yeah\\\\
I don't wanna do your dirty work\\\\