Public Execution: Difference between revisions

[[Public Execution|'''Public Executions]]''' can come about for any number of reasons. They may be performed by a government as punishment for a crime. They may be carried out by a monarch seeking to suppress the plans of political enemies in order to maintain a solid grasp on the throne. Regular [[Public Execution|Public Executions]] may be broadcast as a kind of spectator sport in a [[Crapsack World]], or in our own world [[Twenty Minutes Into the Future]]. They can even be done on the spur of the moment by an [[Angry Mob]] who manage to get their hands on the source of their ire.

The reaction of the [[In -Universe]] audience for the execution can serve as a reflection of the moral character of the society at that time. A crowd that does nothing but jeer, egg-on the executioner, or even attempt to participate in the killing may indicate that the people of the land are blood-thirsty and crude. On the other hand, shock and horror displayed by those in attendance may be a sign that the populace is undergoing a [[Morality Adjustment]] for the better, and may even be indicative of growing disfavor for the rulers who would carry out such a barbaric spectacle. Conquerors foolish enough to use a [['''Public Execution]]''' to quell the dissent of a [[Martyrdom Culture]] could accidentally provide the last fuel needed to touch off a revolution.

A [[Public Execution]] can also to be used to show the true character of the condemned. A previously unrepentant criminal may become [[The Atoner]] in their final moments, and one who was a [[Badass]] may break down into uncontrolled sobbing and plead for their life. Characters who truly [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|don't fear death]] may treat it as a game, laughing and returning the insults of the crowd, or getting one last jab at the ruling government before they die.

If the executee is one of the good guys, their [[Public Execution]] may be the backdrop for a [[Big Damn Heroes]] moment as their comrades rush in to save the day.

Overlaps with [[Dead Guy Onon Display]], as a [[Public Execution]] is one of the surest ways to make certain (and assure others) that someone is well and truly dead... if the execution isn't botched, or the prisoner rescued. Can also overlap with [[Deadly Game]], in which the condemned are forced to fight for their lives in gladiatorial or gauntlet style contests.

Note that in order to qualify as an example of [[Public Execution]], the act must be performed in front of a large audience. The modern practice of allowing a handful of witnesses to view an otherwise private execution would not count for the purpose of this trope.

'''Related Tropes:'''

* [[Impaled Withwith Extreme Prejudice]]

* [[Off Withwith His Head]]

{{examples|Examples:}}

== Anime &and Manga ==

* In the anime adaptation of [[Yoake Mae Yori RuriRuriiro Iro Nana]], Mai has a few [[Imagine Spot|Imagine Spots]]s in which she, Sayaka, and Tatsuya are sentenced to public execution by firing squad, or by being boiled alive in a giant cup of tea.

* ''[[Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (Anime)|Mobile Suit Victory Gundam]]'' has the Zanscare Empire employ public execution by guillotine as a standard punishment. They do this mostly to instill fear in the populace, as the guillotine is considered a barbaric and uncivilized punishment by pretty much everyone in the show.

* In one of the many [[Disproportionate Retribution]] [[Dark Fic|dark fics]]s following ''[[Kickassia (Web Video)|Kickassia]]'', [[The Nostalgia Critic (Web Video)|The Nostalgia Critic]] gets publicallypublicly beheaded by [[Phelous]] under the orders of [[The Cinema Snob (Web Video)|The Cinema Snob]].

* ''[[Undead or Alive (Film)|Undead or Alive]]'': The fact that a public hanging was to be held the morning after the heroes' escape from jail gave them a head start, as the angry sheriff could not afford to draw the ire of the townsfolk who had assembled to witness the death of Ben Goodman, who had killed and eaten parts of his wife and daughter. (Since Ben was a victim of a zombifying curse, the hanging didn't quite take in the end.)

* ''[[Flash Gordon (Filmfilm)|Flash Gordon]]''. Flash's "death" by lethal gas by order of Emperor Ming.

* ''[[The Running Man (Filmfilm)|The Running Man]]''. Criminals are executed by being [[Hunting the Most Dangerous Game|hunted to their deaths]] on TV, with a [[The Cake Is a Lie|promise of freedom]] if they survive.

* ''[[CSA: Confederate States of America]]'' had the Confederate News cheerfully announce the live execution of a slave who had betrayed his master.

* The climax of Disney's ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'' involves Quasimodo attempting to rescue Esmeralda from being [[Burn the Witch|burned at the stake]] in public by [[Complete Monster|Frollo.]]

* Attempted in ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin: The Return of Jafar]]'', {{spoiler|after Aladdin has been framed and condemned to die for "the murder of the Sultan". Fortunately, Iago does a [[Heel Face Turn]] and breaks the Genie free from the glass bottle, and in turn, the Genie becomes a [[Big Damn Heroes|Big Damn Hero]] in flying at the speed of light and rescuing Aladdin a mere split-second before he is to be [[Off Withwith His Head|decapitated]].}}

{{quote| '''Rebel''': (''about to be behearded'') Long live our deposed Queen!<br />

'''Jamal''': (''raises his fist'') Power to the people!<br />

** Jamal himself is about to be executed in public for deflowingdeflowering the princess (although, apparently, she already wasn't a virgin) and ruining the King's chances of an alliance with the Duke of Normandy. He tries to impress the medieval peasants with his "magical powers", but they're not buying it. Luckily, he's rescued by {{spoiler|Sir Nolte}}.

* In ''[[Discworld (Literature)|Discworld]]'' novels:

** In ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Witches Abroad|Witches Abroad]]'' we see a public execution. Some countries cut off a thief's hand so he won't steal again. Lady Lilith cuts off his head so he won't ''think'' about stealing again. This is also a good example of the reaction of the public showing the nature of the society; after years of Lilith's rule, the public don't react at all, they just have a dead-eyed stare.

** ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Going Postal (Discworld)|Going Postal]]'' opens with a ''faked'' public execution. Moist (the accused, who doesn't know it's faked) is asked to sign the rope before hand, since it will then be worth more to collectors. He's also expected to come up with some [[Famous Last Words]], that being traditional.

** Rincewind escapes a public execution in ''[[Discworld (Literature)/The Last Continent|The Last Continent]]''. There's a lot made of the execution as entertainment, and as above, pieces of the rope are highly prized souvenirs, although [[Honest JohnsJohn's Dealership|Fair Go Dibbler]] is somehow able to sell them ''before'' the hanging. ("It's still rope, right? Genuine rope.") We're also told of the humanitarian tradition that if the gibbet sticks three times... the prisoner will be given breakfast while someone fixes it.

* In ''Squire'', the third book of the ''[[Tortall Universe|Protector of the Small]]'' quartet, heroine Kel has to attend the public executions of a group of bandits she helped to capture. She finds the festival-like atmosphere upsetting, though she [[The Stoic|hides it well]].

* In ''[[Nineteen Eighty -Four]]'', prisoners of war are often publicly executed, which Parson's children regard as a great form of entertainment. Thought criminals, however, are executed in the Ministry of Love.

* In [[Stephen King]]'s book ''[[The Dark Tower (Literature)/Wizard and Glass|Wizard and Glass]]'', part of ''[[The Dark Tower]]'' series, {{spoiler|Roland's lover Susan is publicly burnt}} by and angry mob.

* The possibility of the protagonist's public beheading is a large part of the plot of Albert Camus's ''[[The Stranger]]''. His main worry isn't that he will be executed but that it will be public.

* Many public executions were shown throughout ''[[The Tudors]]'', as Henry VIII went through his laundry list of enemies, former advisers and ex-wives. The particularly brutal death of Thomas Cromwell at the hands of a drunken executioner serves as a [[My God, What Have I Done?]] moment for those who arranged it.

* Several times on ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' at the orders of King Uther.

* The ''[[Black AdderBlackadder]] II'' episode "Head" is all about the public executions at the court of Elizabeth I. As in ''[[Discworld]]'' there's a gag about the callous crowd desiring souvenirs; Blackadder thinks the execution of Sir Walter Raleigh will attract "sailing enthusiasts", so he should try and sell them souvenir anchors.

* ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' TOS episode "[http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Obsolete_Man:The Obsolete Man|The Obsolete Man"]]. In a future totalitarian state a man is condemned to death for being a librarian. He asks that his execution be televised: the state agrees because they want to make an example of him, but he has a plan for turning the tables on them.

* In an episode of ''[[Charmed (TV)|Charmed]]'' entitled "Morality Bites" the sisters go into the future where one of them has killed a man with her magic and is executed on live TV via being burnt at the stake.

* In the ''[[Castlevania]]'' series, this is the reason behind [[Dracula]]'s ''[[Castlevania: Lament of Innocence|second]]'' [[Start of Darkness|descent into villainy]] (and the beginning of his [[Kill All Humans|war against humanity]]). Sometime prior to [[Castlevania III: DraculasDracula's Curse|the third game]], the Dark Lord's wife Lisa--aLisa—a medicine woman and healer [[Reincarnation Romance|implied to be the reincarnation of his first wife Elisabetha]]--was—was tried as a witch and burned at the stake (although ''[[Castlevania: Symphony of the Night|SotN]]'' has [[I Hate You, Vampire Dad|his son]] [[Dhampir|Alucard]]'s dream depict this event as Lisa instead being crucified). Drac already [[Faith Heel Turn|had a low opinion of God]]; [[Humans Are Bastardsthe Real Monsters|this didn't help mankind in the long run either.]]

* In ''[[Final Fantasy VII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VII]]'', Tifa and Barrett are captured by the [[Mega Corp|Shinra]], whose leader plans to execute them for propaganda purposes. Saved by both a double [[Deus Ex Machina]] (one small, one [[GaiasGaia's Vengeance|big]]) and a [[Heel Face Turn]].

* In the [[Bad Ending]] of ''[[Conquests of the Longbow]]'', Robin is hanged.

* ''[[The Sims Medieval (Video Game)|The Sims Medieval]]'': The primary method of execution available is for a Sim to be tossed into "The Pit of Judgement" and forced to do battle with The Pit Beast, a carnivorous tentacled monstrosity. Gathered witnesses will either gasp in horror or cheer on the combatants.

* In the first chapter of ''[[The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings]]'', you come across a public execution in a town square with a couple people you recognize from the first game. {{spoiler|You can save them from their fate, though.}}

* ''[[Tales of Symphonia (Video Game)|Tales of Symphonia]]'', Chocolat is about to be hung by the bad guys as the party shows up just in time to save the day.

* In ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender (Animation)|Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', we never see one, but it's referenced. When the kids are at a Fire Nation festival in "The Deserter", Aang spots a big crowd and wonders what it's for. Sokka goes, "Knowing the Fire Nation, it's probably an execution."

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