Save the Villain: Difference between revisions

** In ''Batman: Devil's Advocate'', Batman saved the Joker from the death penalty. He went out of his way and against the advice of pretty much everybody to prove Joker innocent of the crime he was scheduled to be executed for. It ended with Batman saying something like "And from now on, whatever you do, you'll know that you only live because of me. What's the matter? Don't you appreciate the joke?" Of course, seeing as this also means that the Joker is free to carry on ''murdering people'' due to Batman's intervention, the joke may be on him.

*** That's the cynical interpretation of it. The entire point of the story was to show Batman's dedication to justice. In all likelihood, the Caped Crusader was aware of the cynical implications as well, ''but did it anyway.''

** In ''Batman: Cacophany'', the [[Serial Killer]] Onomatopoeia (who targets superheroes, though he doesn't mind killing other people for fun either) stabbed [[The Joker]] in the heart after their villain team-up failed and prepared to flee—but waited a few seconds because he wanted to see whether Batman would save the Joker or let him die to pursue Onomatopoeia. Batman chooses the first option despite strong protests from Jim Gordon whose wife and daughter were murdered and crippled by [[The Joker]] respectively. When [[The Joker]] asks him why he did it, Batman explains that due to One Bad Day he can't bear to see ''anyone'' die in front of him if he has the power to stop it.

** Played with multiple times in [[Batman: The Animated Series|the Batman the Animated Series tie-in comics]]. In "With a Price on His Head," a grieving father puts a fifty-million-dollar bounty on [[The Joker|the Joker's head]]. Suddenly, [[Up to Eleven|EVERYONE]] in Gotham wants to kill Joker. Batman ends up taking him to the Batcave for protection... and [[Hilarity Ensues|horrific hilarity ensues]]. Similarly, the "No Asylum" storyline deals with [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Ra's al Ghul's]] attempts to [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|murder his entire Rogues Gallery]] {{spoiler|as a gesture of good-will towards Batman, his daughter's 'beloved'}} and Batman's attempts to literally save the villains.

* Discussed with Marvel villain [[The Hood]], whose [[Clothes Make the Superman|hood and shoes give him superpowers]] through increasing amounts of [[Demonic Possession]]. He was sent to murder [[Doctor Strange]], who realized at once what was going on and tried to talk him down. Later, when it was obvious that the demon was more than Hood could handle, his associate tried to send him to Strange for help due to this trope. "I bet he'll help you. Even after everything. He ''has'' to, right?"

* In the Archie Comics ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures]]'', the titular foursome are forced to save Shredder from being possessed by Krang. Shredder is PISSED that he now owes his life to the Turtles. He disappears for a long time (both in-universe and in real life), and when he re-appears to kidnap Splinter, Leonardo passionately reminds Shredder that he owes the Turtles his life. Shredder relents and releases Splinter, warning that they're now even...

 

== Film ==