Basic Trope: Someone's loved one is being held hostage for ransom.
- Straight: Emperor Evulz is holding Bob's wife Alice hostage, and threatens to dispatch her if he doesn't pay up.
- Exaggerated: Emperor Evulz has kidnapped, not only Alice, but their children, Bob's mother and father, all their family friends, and the clerk who served Bob ice cream as well...oh! and his little dog, too!
- Downplayed: Emperor Evulz doesn't kidnap Alice, but threatens to send an assassin after her if he doesn't pay up.
- Justified: Emperor Evulz knows Alice is close to Bob and that he can get him to do almost anything if he targets her.
- Inverted: The heroes kidnap General Drake, in order to use him for leverage against Evulz.
- Gender Inverted: Empress Evulz has Alice's husband Bob held hostage, and demands a ransom for his return.
- Subverted: Emperor Evulz decides to kill Alice even after Bob pays up.
- Double Subverted: Evulz discovers Bob didn't pay him the full amount, so he keeps Alice alive so he can get the full ransom.
- Parodied:
- Evulz kidnaps Alice so often it's become routine for them.
- Evulz has seized what Bob holds most dear...his cheesecake, that is.
- Emperor Evulz threatens to dispatch Alice if Bob doesn't surrender his gum.
- Evulz has Tim's wife...but he's not married...but he is now...to America!
- Enforced: "We need a conflict for the climax of the movie, what should we do?" "Let's have Emperor Evulz hold Alice hostage!"
- Lampshaded: "Why'd we kidnap Alice again?" "Are kidding me? Obviously we need to give Bob a reason to show his face here!"
- Exploited: Knowing that Evulz will come after her, Alice allows herself to be kidnapped so she can go behind the enemy lines and spy on Evulz.
- Played for Drama: Emperor Evulz is dangling Alice over a pit of lava, and if Bob doesn't give him the power crystal, he'll drop her in it.
- Deconstructed: Getting kidnapped by Evulz leaves Alice traumatized and with a severe lack of self worth over being used as an object.
- Reconstructed: Bob's desperation to save her gives Alice the strength she needs to keep going.
They have your wife! Go to the main page to rescue her!
