The Dog Bites Back/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A villain is killed by somebody they were cruel to.

  • Straight: With his evil lair falling apart around him, Emperor Evulz is killed by lowly Mook #16, who he'd been planning to execute for failure.
  • Exaggerated: As his evil lair falls apart, Emperor Evulz is killed by Mook #16 for adding too much salt to the mook rations.
  • Justified: Mook #16 had been planning to eliminate Emperor Evulz for a while, and simply took the opprotunity when it arose.
    • Evulz forced Mook #16 to work for him through fear and intimidation. Now that Evulz is powerless, Mook #16 is no longer afraid of him takes the oppertunity to take his revenge for all the abuse.
  • Inverted: Kick the Dog
  • Subverted: As his evil lair falls apart, Mook #16 tries to kill Emperor Evulz; Evulz Offhand Backhands him and carries on.
    • Mook #16 states that he could kill Evulz, but forgives him instead and walks away.
  • Double Subverted: Mook #16 gets back up and stabs Emperor Evulz in the back.
  • Parodied: Emperor Evulz is a massive Tin Tyrant, and Mook #16 is a pathetic little goblin who curb stomps Evulz anyways.
  • Deconstructed: When word of his deed gets out, Mook #16 is Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves by the next Evil Overlord he offers his employment to.
  • Reconstructed: Mook #16 is canny enough to get out of the Mook business after killing his old master; he'd done enough kind deeds to be accepted by the heroes.
  • Zig Zagged: Evulz is attacked by Mook #16 who he used as a punching bag. However he dispatches Mook #16 effortlessly. This causes Lianna to flip out and attack Evulz as Mook #16 was the only one who was ever kind to her. She leaves him for dead. Later Lianna is adopted by the heroes and angsts about the blood on her hands from killing Evulz. Shortly after it is revealed that Evulz is still alive.
  • Averted: Emperor Evulz makes his escape alive, or is killed by someone he hasn't beaten down.
  • Enforced: "We can't let the hero kill Emperor Evulz; let's make a mook he's been tormenting do it instead."
  • Lampshaded: "Emperor Evulz should have gotten loyaler mooks..."
  • Invoked: The Guile Hero talk Mook #16 into assassinating Emperor Evulz by reminding him of all the cruel things Evulz has done to him.
  • Defied: The villain treats his mooks well so they'll help him in his time of need.
  • Discussed: "Ow... that looked like it hurt, Emperor Evulz better watch his back 'cause I don't think Mook #16 gonna let him get away with that again."
  • Conversed: ???

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