Self-Restraint: Difference between revisions

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Other characters stick around just because they're better off behind bars. There they are safe from the evils (or goods, as it may be) of the world, possibly lulling their enemies into a false sense of security. Alternatively, they're there just because this week's [[Plot Coupon]] is there as well, and the easiest way in happened to be through the front gate.

Often [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] with the characters demonstrating just how easy breaking out would be. They might also be forced to insist to be let to stay, if they are in danger of getting freed prematurely. If they're waiting to get legally released, they may just escape as the order comes, to show that they ''can''.

Usually takes place in a [[Cardboard Prison]] or a [[Luxury Prison Suite]]. If the character was arrested to foil some [[Evil Plan]] when getting arrested was their true goal, than its a form of [[Xanatos Gambit]]. When capital punishment is involved, it's [[Forgiveness Requires Death]]. When they invoke the aid of another character, it often overlaps with [[No Matter How Much I Beg]] or [[Kind Restraints]].

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== [[Comic Books]] ==

* In ''[[Asterix]] and the Laurel Wreath'', the heroes get imprisoned and break out of their cell during the night to search the palace above, only to return once they don't find what they're looking for.

** Later, in ''Asterix and the Banquet'', they let themselves be captured, but as the roman attempt to wrap them in chains, they keep moving and breaking them because of the magic potion, to the Roman's smith's great distress.

* [[Superman]]. Because he's the Superman.

* The Amerimanga ''[[Gold Digger (Comic Book)|Gold Digger]]'' has Crush, a former superheroine who [[The Commies Made Me Do It|was blackmailed into serving a supervillain]]; she accepted her prison sentence and refuses to seek parole, despite being a model prisoner who helps keep her prison in order. She's trying to repent for "[[Becoming the Mask|going native]]" and killing a petty criminal {{spoiler|who was actually an undercover policeman}}.

** Later the main character Gina Diggers joined her temporarily {{spoiler|for trying to steal a device from one of her unscrupulous rivals in order to save her lost sister, when the authorities, include Gina's pops, were already there to pick it up legitimately from said rival}}

* In one of the [[Captain America]] novels, Cap is kidnapped by a militia group to be put on "trial" for not doing enough to help "real Americans." Cap can and does break out of jail, but he does it secretly to pass along information to other superheroes and law enforcement. He then breaks back ''in'', with the militia none the wiser. This ensures they stay focused on his trial and keep all the best militia members guarding him, so only the B-squad is available to carry out the actual nefarious plan, which is thus thwarted by Cap's partner [[the Falcon]].

* In one of the [[Captain America (comics)]] novels, Cap is kidnapped by a militia group to be put on "trial" for not doing enough to help "real Americans." Cap can and does break out of jail, but he does it secretly to pass along information to other superheroes and law enforcement. He then breaks back ''in'', with the militia none the wiser. This ensures they stay focused on his trial and keep all the best militia members guarding him, so only the B-squad is available to carry out the actual nefarious plan, which is thus thwarted by Cap's partner [[the Falcon]].

* A lengthy plot in ''[[New Warriors]]'' involved Marvel Boy accidentally killing his abusive father with his powers, and being found guilty of manslaughter. When the rest of the Warriors show up to break him out of prison, he refuses to go--he did the crime, he'll do the time.

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== [[Literature]] ==

* In the ''[[Discworld]]'' novel ''Guards! Guards!'' Vetinari is usurped and thrown into prison. He has anticipated this, and the most secure cell happens to have its lock on the inside.

** Leonard of Quirm could escape any time he wants to, but prefers the peace of prison.

*** Leonard of Quirm designed his own prison cell, and the traps in the hallway leading up to it! He's practically a boarder.

* In ''[[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]]'', Tom Sawyer convinces Jim that he can't just walk out of his cabin, and has to make his escape in a properly epic fashion. Jim's already legally been freed but Tom's keeping it a secret

* [[Horatio Hornblower]], after being released from a Spanish prison to aid in a rescue mission at sea, refuses to stay on British ship that eventually picks them up, because he had given the Spanish his parole.

** The British captain is little pleased by this. Even less when Hornblower points out that the Spanish with him must be released as they were engaged in rescue at sea. British Naval regulations must be cited before the Captain agrees, but he did agree.

** Hornblower ends up being exchanged early as a result though, and promoted to Lieutenant.

* A couple of [[Orson Scott Card]]'s ''Tales of Alvin Maker'' books have done this. Alvin can pretty much go wherever he wants, whenever he wants, but allowed himself to be kept imprisoned twice, though I seem to recall he eventually broke out the second time because there was an emergency.

* In J.R.R. Tolkien's ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'', Merry and Pippin get captured by the Uruk-Hai, manage to free themselves and then keep wearing their bonds while they wait for the right moment to escape.

** Subverted when Frodo is captured - Tolkien makes no mention of any sort of restraint on him AND his guards have almost completely annihilated one another, but seeing as he's malnourished, in mental anguish from being separated from the Ring, and also sick from Shelob's poison, he is unable to escape.

* Subverted in ''[[Arsène Lupin]] in Prison'' as there's no question that Lupin is guilty or could easily escape. The only reason he stays in prison is so he is able to pull off a caper that could only be done if he were in prison. In the next story ''The Escape of [[Arsène Lupin]]'' his first escape from prison is part of a plan for particularly spectacular escape.

** His descendent [[Lupin III]] has done exactly the same thing on several occasions.

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== [[Web Comics]] ==

* [[Miss Dynamite]] from the webcomic of the same name stays in jail (at the first chapters) just because they [[Luxury Prison Suite|keep her comfortable]].

* A recent plot development in ''[[Girl Genius]]'' has Agatha posing as a murderer because [[Genius Loci|the prison]] ''itself'' is the latest [[Plot Coupon]].

* Implied to be the case with the inhumanly strong and almost literally unstoppable [[Lightning Bruiser|Mister Inertia]] in ''[[General Protection Fault]]'', as he seems to be waiting for something while in UGA captivity.

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** The Justice League is accused of firing their [[BFG]] on a government base, and six of the founding seven (Batman refuses) turn themselves in. As they're going into custody, one MP asks if they should cuff the superheroes. His superior scoffs, saying something to the tune of, "Do you really think that would make a difference?"

* In an episode of ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'', Homer and Bart get arrested in Japan and are put in a jail cell... with paper walls. Only after his bail is paid and the door is opened does Homer walk through the wall.

** Granted, this is Homer's [[Running Gag]] in this episode.

*** In another episode, we see that one of the prisons in Springfield operates on the honor system. And most of the prisoners actually comply.

* Played with by Fox of ''[[Gargoyles]]''. When Coyote is breaking out all of other members of The Pack, she decides to stay. The thing is, the entire set up was a [[Xanatos Gambit]] by her lover, Xanatos himself, to significantly reduce her sentence for good behavior. If she joined the break out she'd have to worry about being re-arrested. The actions of the Pack were meaningless to achieve this goal and Xanatos knew they'd be swiftly recaptured.

** Xanatos himself served his prison time quietly during a significant chunk of Season 1, despite having the impressive resources of his multinational corporation to call upon.

* Beast in the 90s ''[[X-Men (animation)|X-Men]]'' cartoon was once wrongly sent to prison. Magneto, thinking this would make him bitter, broke him out in an attempt to recruit him as an ally - at which point Beast politely asked him to leave, as he wished to stand trial and prove his innocence.