Villains Want Mercy



"Let me go! Let me go! Please! Don't hurt me! I'll do anything! Anything!"

- Gaston begging the Beast for mercy.

Sometimes when defeated by the hero, the villain goes down gracefully. Sometimes he realizes he is doomed and demands the hero to stop fooling around. Sometimes he tries to take the heroes with him. Sometimes the villain is so bad, he will never stop fighting until he is put down for good. This trope is not about those villains.

Smug snakes, dirty cowards, and bad guys who suffer from moral decay rarely go down with their heads held high. For all the bravado and confidence they usually project, they are much more likely to get on their hands and knees and beg for mercy. This also serves to contrast them with the hero, as heroes usually never beg for mercy from the villain in the opposite situation, at least not for themselves. Very rarely, it is the act of a noble wrongdoer who is consistent about offering his foes mercy, and expects the favor to be returned.

Depending on where the hero is on the Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism, they might call the villain out on how many people they have denied mercy before sparing them anyway.

Others may deliver a "Reason You Suck" speech and leave the villain alive just to spite him. Or they might just scoff at this and shoot him.

If the hero does grant them mercy, they may perform a Heel-Face Turn out of gratitude. However, it is quite very common for the villain to attempt to attack the hero one last time, usually while their back is turned. This will rarely work.

Animated Films

 * Scar: Begs for mercy when he's cornered by Simba by pulling the family card and blaming the hyenas for his own actions, but Simba doesn't buy it. When Simba decides to spare him, Scar goes to leave, only to throw embers into his nephew's eyes and attack him. Scar later begs mercy from the hyenas only for them to maul him to death.
 * Gaston: When the Beast holds him by throat and dangles him off of the roof of the castle, threatening to drop him to his death, Gaston pathetically begs the Beast not to hurt him. The Beast gives in and spares Gaston, ordering him to leave the castle for good. However, when Gaston sees the Beast going to reunite with Belle, he sneaks up behind him and stabs him in the back, only to lose his footing and fall to his demise.
 * Dag: Otis raises his fist to punch Dag, just as his father did, but instead he lowers his fist and glares at the evil coyote and demands him to NEVER return, before hitting him with a golf club and Dag soars out into the distance while howling in pain.
 * Shaw: Prepares to shoot Boog when Elliot leaps in front and the bullet hits him instead. This makes Boog enraged and he pins Shaw to the ground and roars fiercely in his face, before tying him up with his own gun. Elliot is then revealed to have survived--the bullet only shot off his remaining antler.
 * Claude Frollo: When Quasimodo stops Frollo from killing him with a dagger and angrily approaches him, Frollo begs for mercy, but Quasimodo refuses as he finally sees the man who raised him as an evil, sadistic monster.

Live Action Films

 * Koba: When hanging from the top of a skyscraper after dueling Caesar, Koba begs for mercy as he reminds Caesar of the "Ape Not Kill Ape" rule. However, Caesar coldly tells Koba that he's no ape and drops him to his death.

Literature

 * Wormtail: Pathetically begs for mercy when he's confronted by Sirius and Remus; later begs for mercy from Harry, Ron, and Hermione after revealing he betrayed Harry's parents to Lord Voldemort.

Western Animation

 * Bill Cipher: Begs for mercy when he realizes he was tricked into entering Stan's mind and is about to be erased from existence. His only response is getting punched in the face, leading Bill to be destroyed for good.

Quotes
"(Simba chases Scar up to the high point of Pride Rock. Scar runs up to the edge and sees the sheer drop. He sees he's trapped at Simba's mercy. Simba leaps out of the flames and slowly walks toward his traitorous uncle) (Simba: Murderer!) Simba, Simba, please! Mercy, I beg you! (Simba: You don't deserve to live!) But, Simba, I am, uh...family. It's the hyenas who are the real enemy! It was their fault! It was their idea! (Shenzi, Banzai and Ed are in the background. They overhear and back away growling at Scar's betrayal.) (Simba: Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.) What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill you own uncle? (Simba: No, Scar. I'm not like you.) Oh, Simba, thank you. You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. How can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me; I mean, anything. (Simba: Run. Run away, Scar. And NEVER return.) (Scar slowly gets up to leave) Yes. Of course. As you wish... [looking down at some burning embers] ...YOUR MAJESTY! (Scar swipes the coals into Simba's face. With a cry of surprise and pain, Simba paws the coals away as Scar leaps and attacks. In slow motion, Simba and Scar deliver powerful blows at each other. Eventually, Scar swats Simba, sending him on his back. Then Scar leaps out of the flames ready to kill Simba. Simba flips Scar off over the edge and Scar tumbles to the bottom. He weakly gets to his feet and sees Shenzi, Banzai and Ed walk up, not looking happy at all.) Ah, my friends! (Shenzi: "Friends?" I thought he said we were the enemy.) (Banzai: Yeah, that's what I heard.) (Scar's eyes widen with horror.) (Both: Ed?) (Ed cackles deviously as more hungry hyenas surround Scar.) No! L-L-Let me explain! No, you don't understand! No, I didn't mean it! I-- No! No! Look, I'm sorry I called you... No! NO! (Camera pans up as the horde of hungry hyenas leap at Scar and maul him to death.)"

- Scar cornered at the mercy of Simba and after a climactic fight, is eventually thrown off the edge of Pride Rock, where Scar is now at the cruel mercy of his own hyena henchman, who attack their traitorous boss and maul him to death.

"(Goku: Well, you might of had this coming. But I've got to say though. I don't think I expected you to fall so hard. One way or another i'll still be able to make my way back home. Meanwhile, you can lie there and think about what you've done as you share the same fate as the planet you've destroyed.) Frieza: Please, help me? I, I beg of you. Don't, don't leave me to die like this. (King Kai: GOKU, DON'T WASTE ANYMORE TIME WITH HIM, YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THERE NOW!!!) Frieza: Help...Have...mercy...on me! You can't do this! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! (Goku: How many people asked you for mercy? Hundreds, thousands, what gives you the right to expect any, ESPECIALLY FROM ME!?) Frieza: Please! Please!! I beg you!"

- Frieza asking Goku for mercy.

"(Quasimodo sobs over the seemingly dead Esmerelda as Frollo slowly enters the room and puts his hand on his shoulder) (Quasimodo: You killed her!) It was my duty, horrible as it was. I hope you can forgive me. There, there, Quasimodo. I know it hurts. But now, the time has come to end your suffering... (He raises a dagger above Quasi. Quasi sees Frollo's shadow holding the dagger above him!) ...forever. (Quasi gasps as he turns and struggles with Frollo. Frollo lowers the dagger inches to Quasi's face. Quasimodo grabs the dagger from Frollo's hand and flings the mad judge to the wall. Quasi pants heavily with the dagger in his hand as he corners Frollo, who cowers in absolute terror.) Now, now. L-Listen to me, Quasimodo. (Quasimodo: NO, YOU LISTEN! All my life, you've told me the world is a dark, cruel place! [tosses the dagger to the floor] But now I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like YOU!) (Esmeralda: Quasimodo...) (Quasimodo: Esmeralda!) She lives! (Frollo pulls out a sword from his robe) NO! (Quasi grabs Esmeralda and runs out onto the balcony with Frollo close behind.)"

- Frollo at the at the mercy of Quasimodo as the hunchback furiously corners him with his own dagger. He begs for his life, but Quasi nails him with about Frollo lying to him all his life about the world being dark and cruel.

Gallery
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