They Were Holding You Back: Difference between revisions

{{quote|'''The Alpha:''' Scott, I think you're getting the wrong impression of us. We really just want to help you reach your full potential.<br />

'''Scot:''' By killing my friends?<br />

'''The Alpha:''' Sometimes the people closest to you... can be the ones holding you back the most.<br />

'''Scot:''' If they're holding me back from becoming a psychotic nutjob like you? I'm okay with that.|''[[Teen Wolf (TV series)|Teen Wolf]]'' episode 10.}}

Alice is a very fortunate woman, she's the best at her profession in the world, has a group of supportive [[Nakama|friends]] and a loving family. True, she probably longs for adventure and excitement or wider recognition, but that's a minor concern compared to the bliss that is her life. Bob knows of her skills and sorely needs them, so he makes a generous offer for her to join him and help in his [[Utopia Justifies the Means|(potentially]] [[Evil Plan|evil)]] goals, sweetening the deal with the promise acclaim, power and wealth. Of course, she'll refuse because she's happy where she is. In fact, she probably quit Bob's team not long ago precisely to get that happy family life.

A more sinister variation happens when Bob is a [[Poisonous Friend]] who [[The Farmer and Thethe Viper|wants to "help"]] Alice by killing her [[Living Emotional Crutch]] and [[Morality Chain]]. The reason? "[[Title Drop|They were holding you back]] from achieving your true potential."

* ''[[Black Cat (Mangamanga)|Black Cat]]'' (manga). {{spoiler|Creed kills Saya because he thinks that she is holding Train back}}.

* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'': This is how Dartz groomed each of his [[Quirky Miniboss Squad|"Three Musketeers"]] to be vengeful bringers of the Apocalypse. It backfires on him when [[Noble Demon|one of them]] discovers the truth about his tragic past, but Dartz has already acquired more than enough power to stop him.

* In ''[[Kara no Kyoukai:]]'', {{spoiler|Shirazumi Lio}} is convinced that the only thing holding Shiki back from a murderous existence is [[Morality Chain|Mikiya]], and attempts this along with [[Murder the Hypotenuse]]. {{spoiler|Mikiya survives, but thinking he's died pushes Shiki enough that she eviscerates Lio, but she gets pulled back by Mikiya}}.

* In the ''[[WolverineX (Film)Men Origins: Wolverine|Wolverine]]'' movie, this is apparently why Victor kills Kayla. {{spoiler|Only it turns out, it was Stryker's plan, not Victor's, and Kayla is not actually dead.}}

* A less malignant version of this is what drives the main conflict of ''[[The Adjustment Bureau]]'': the Bureau doesn't try to kill Elise but aims to keep her and David apart because David's drive to become a politician and make a positive difference in the world was his means to cope with the loneliness he felt after losing his parents at an early age (also due to the machinations of the Bureau). According to the Bureau, if David and Elise remain together, David won't become President and change the world for the better. Likewise, Elsie would fail to become one of the greatest ballet dancers in the world.

* ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' starts with this, when Boone's wife is killed by {{spoiler|Sandoval}}. The killer does consider it a favour, too... then again, the killer committed their own spouse to an insane asylum so they wouldn't interfere with the killer's work for the Companions.

* The ending of ''[[HarpersHarper's Island]]'' reveals that {{spoiler|Henry is an example of the second variant. He brought Abby back to the island and started killing people with John Wakefield because he believes it's their destiny to live on the island together, with no one else. She doesn't take it well when she finds out.}}

* In ''[[Law and Order: Criminal Intent]]'' this is done to Goren by {{spoiler|his old mentor.}}

* In ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'', Azazel states that this is [[Corrupt the Cutie|the reason]] Sam's fiancee had to die.

* In ''[[God of War (Video Gameseries)|God of War]]'' {{spoiler|this is Ares' rationale for tricking Kratos into murdering his wife and daughter. Naturally, this backfired.}}

{{quote| {{spoiler|'''Ares''': I was trying to make you a great warrior!}}<br />

{{quote| {{spoiler|'''The Darkness''': She was a burden. This is freedom.}}}}

* In ''[[In FamousInfamous (Videovideo game Gameseries)|In Famous]]'', Kessler killed Cole's future wife Trish because having a family will hold Cole back against the Beast in the future.

* In the last season of ''[[Codename: Kids Next Door]]'', a mysterious splinter cell takes interest in Numbuh One. In one of the final episodes, they manipulate events so that {{spoiler|Lizzie breaks up with him}}, breaking one of his last emotional ties before declaring that "He's almost ready".

* In ''[[Young Justice (Animationanimation)|Young Justice]]'', Harm did this to ''himself'' {{spoiler|murdering his younger sister Greta, the only person he loved}}, so that he could become [[Complete Monster|pure evil]] since the Sword of Beowulf will only bestow power on a [[Pure Is Not Good|"pure"]] individual. It ultimately failed; {{spoiler|seeing Greta's ghost}} shatters Harm's "purity" and the Sword rejects him.