You Can Keep Her: Difference between revisions

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== Anime and Manga ==

* In the first episode of ''[[~~Dragonball~~]] GT'', a group of kidnappers snatch the recently [[Fountain of Youth|re-chibified]] Goku, after being unable to kidnap Bra for ransom. They then call ''Vegeta'' with the ransom demand, saying they've got his son Goku. Needless to say, his reaction can be neatly summed up by this trope's name.

* In the first episode of ''[[Dragon Ball]] GT'', a group of kidnappers snatch the recently [[Fountain of Youth|re-chibified]] Goku, after being unable to kidnap Bra for ransom. They then call ''Vegeta'' with the ransom demand, saying they've got his son Goku. Needless to say, his reaction can be neatly summed up by this trope's name.

** They also try calling Bulma... who laughs and tells them to watch their backs.

* In ''[[Weiss Kreuz]]'', Omi was kidnapped when he was young. When the kidnappers demand the ransom (with a tearful Omi begging his father to save him) his father, Reiji, declares he won't pay. {{spoiler|It's later revealed that this was because Reiji was aware that Omi wasn't his son, but was instead the product of an affair between his wife and his brother Shuichi}}.

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== Fan Fic ==

* In a [[Daria]]/[[~~Labyrinth (Film)|~~Labyrinth]] crossover fic, found [http://www.outpost-daria.com/fanfic/not_quite_beyond_the_goblin_city.html here], the Goblin King kidnaps Quinn after Daria wished her away. And then just hung out outside of the labyrinth for a few hours. The Goblin King had to pay Daria to get her to take Quinn back in the end.

* In a [[Daria]]/[[Labyrinth]] crossover fic, found [http://www.outpost-daria.com/fanfic/not_quite_beyond_the_goblin_city.html here], the Goblin King kidnaps Quinn after Daria wished her away. And then just hung out outside of the labyrinth for a few hours. The Goblin King had to pay Daria to get her to take Quinn back in the end.

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{{quote| '''Byong''': We no get money yet. Price now a hundred million. You pay now, or {{spoiler|tomorrow Simple Jack die}}!

{{spoiler|'''Les Grossman'''}}: Great. Let me get this down. A hundred million... Oh, wait! I got a better idea. Instead of a hundred million, how about I send you a hobo's dick cheese? Then, you kill him. Do your thing, skin the fucking bastard. Go to town, man. Go to town! In the mean time and as usual, go fuck yourself. *Puts phone down* [[Crowning Moment of Funny|We do not negotiate with terrorists]]. }}

* In ''[[Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' Nick Moran's character (Eddie) loses a large amount of money at a rigged card game. He has 5 days to pay. Vinnie Jones (Big Chris) offers Eddie's father (JD) the option of giving up his bar to cover the cost... to which JD (played by Sting), replies:

* In ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' Nick Moran's character (Eddie) loses a large amount of money at a rigged card game. He has 5 days to pay. Vinnie Jones (Big Chris) offers Eddie's father (JD) the option of giving up his bar to cover the cost... to which JD (played by Sting), replies:

{{quote| '''JD''': I do know your reputation. So I choose my words very carefully. You tell Harry to go fuck himself.

'''Big Chris''': Now... I'll put that on a shock. Only once. }}

* In ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'', Bunny.

* ''[[Butch Cassidy and ~~The~~ Sundance Kid]]''

* ''[[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]]''

{{quote| "What are you doing?"

"Stealing your woman."

''pause'' "Take her" }}

* In [[The Film of the Book|the original]] ''[[Charlie and ~~The~~ Chocolate Factory|Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory]]'', there's a scene with a woman and some police officers after her husband has been kidnapped. Initially, she's quite frantic and insistent that she'll pay anything and give them anything they want... until she finds out what they're asking for.

* In [[The Film of the Book|the original]] ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory|Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory]]'', there's a scene with a woman and some police officers after her husband has been kidnapped. Initially, she's quite frantic and insistent that she'll pay anything and give them anything they want... until she finds out what they're asking for.

{{quote| "Mrs. Curtis, did you hear me? It's your husband's life or your case of Wonka bars!"

"... how long will they give me to think it over?" }}

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** Subversion - he really isn't a spy for them, but for Beckett.

* ''[[The World Is Not Enough (Film)|The World Is Not Enough]]'': M tells this to Sir King since the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] does not give in to terrorists and criminals. {{spoiler|Electra is enraged and decides to take revenge against her father and M.}}

** In ''[[~~Goldeneye (Film)|~~Goldeneye]]'', when Janus gives [[James Bond (~~Film~~)|James Bond]] the [[Sadistic Choice]] of saving the girl or completing the mission, Bond coldly answers, "Kill her, she means nothing to me." He then rescues the girl anyway and later comments, "Basic rule, always call their bluff." Later, when she changes the Goldeneye access codes, Janus threatens to kill Bond if she doesn't cooperate. Her response: [[Meaningful Echo|"Kill him. He means nothing."]]

** In ''[[Goldeneye]]'', when Janus gives [[James Bond (film)|James Bond]] the [[Sadistic Choice]] of saving the girl or completing the mission, Bond coldly answers, "Kill her, she means nothing to me." He then rescues the girl anyway and later comments, "Basic rule, always call their bluff." Later, when she changes the Goldeneye access codes, Janus threatens to kill Bond if she doesn't cooperate. Her response: [[Meaningful Echo|"Kill him. He means nothing."]]

* ''[[Indiana Jones and ~~The Temple of Doom (Film)|Indiana Jones and The~~ Temple of Doom]]:'' When Indy threatens Willie with a sharp fork, Lau Chen giggles, "Go ahead, kill her. I'll get another!"

* ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]:'' When Indy threatens Willie with a sharp fork, Lau Chen giggles, "Go ahead, kill her. I'll get another!"

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* Subverted from time to time in the City Watch [[Discworld]] books. Someone will take Angua hostage and be mildly surprised when Carrot doesn't come rushing to her rescue. Of course, Carrot knows [[Action Girl|Angua]] can take care of herself perfectly well, and [[Mugging the Monster|it's the hostage takers who are in trouble]].

** Or when the danger is greater than that, he's not RUSHING to rescue her, he's coming slowly and taking his time. [[Beware the Nice Ones]]. Also, because, even though he cares deeply about her, [[The Fettered|"personal" is not the same as "important"]].

* In [[Saki (~~Creator~~)|Saki]]'s "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh", the kidnappers actually get the victim's family to ''pay'' them to keep her. {{spoiler|Even though, as it turns out, they don't really have her...}}

* In [[Saki (author)|Saki]]'s "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh", the kidnappers actually get the victim's family to ''pay'' them to keep her. {{spoiler|Even though, as it turns out, they don't really have her...}}

* A 1969 comedic "caper" novel, ''Snatch!'' by Rennie Airth had the main characters kidnap the infant son of a wealthy businessman. Unfortunately, they'd used a switch of children to keep the abduction from being discovered before they could get away -- and the "changeling" was a much more agreeable child than the kidnap victim, so the father coolly told them he preferred to keep the baby he had now, thank you very much. They had to pull ''another'' kidnapping to get their underaged "accomplice" back -- especially as the female member of the gang had developed very maternal feelings toward the substitute (an orphan) while they prepared for the original snatch.

* [[PG Wodehouse ~~(Creator)~~|PG Wodehouse]]'s short story "Helping Freddie" (later rewritten for the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (~~Literature~~)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' series as "Fixing It for Freddie") features a [[Pity the Kidnapper]] plot wherein the main character kidnaps a small boy as part of a [[Zany Scheme]]. When the scheme backfires, he tries to return the kid, only to be stuck babysitting him when it turns out that everyone in the kid's house has influenza and they needed someone to watch him anyway.

* [[P. G. Wodehouse|PG Wodehouse]]'s short story "Helping Freddie" (later rewritten for the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (novel)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' series as "Fixing It for Freddie") features a [[Pity the Kidnapper]] plot wherein the main character kidnaps a small boy as part of a [[Zany Scheme]]. When the scheme backfires, he tries to return the kid, only to be stuck babysitting him when it turns out that everyone in the kid's house has influenza and they needed someone to watch him anyway.

== Live Action TV ==

* In the BBC show ''[[Robin Hood (TV)|Robin Hood]]'', at one point Robin has Guy at sword-point and it demanding his own unimpeded release as well as some important black rocks (base ingredient for explosives or so). The Sheriff decides the rocks are of more worth than Gisborne and it's only due to Lady Marian interfering that Gisborne is ransomed out after all. (Naturally, Guy afterwards holds this against Marian.)

* In the BBC show ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'', at one point Robin has Guy at sword-point and it demanding his own unimpeded release as well as some important black rocks (base ingredient for explosives or so). The Sheriff decides the rocks are of more worth than Gisborne and it's only due to Lady Marian interfering that Gisborne is ransomed out after all. (Naturally, Guy afterwards holds this against Marian.)

* In an episode of ''[[Allo Allo ~~(TV)~~|Allo Allo]]'', Lieutenant Gruber, Colonel von Strohm and Captain Bertorelli are kidnapped by the Communist Resistance. Rene then tries to take advantage of this by calling General Von Klinkerhoffen while disguising his voice and claiming that unless the General pays 1 million francs, the three will be shot. The General then deadpans "Very well. Let them be shot." and hangs up.

* In an episode of ''[['Allo 'Allo!|Allo Allo]]'', Lieutenant Gruber, Colonel von Strohm and Captain Bertorelli are kidnapped by the Communist Resistance. Rene then tries to take advantage of this by calling General Von Klinkerhoffen while disguising his voice and claiming that unless the General pays 1 million francs, the three will be shot. The General then deadpans "Very well. Let them be shot." and hangs up.

** Later on, Herr Flick, not knowing of the previous call, then tries ''the same scheme'' and asks for ''two'' million francs. You can guess the result.

* Played with in ''[[Burn Notice]]'' (this might count as an inversion or maybe an [[Invoked Trope]]): when Sam is captured in the first season finale, Mike pretends to be glad to be rid of him in order not to give his kidnappers as much leverage.

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* One episode of ''[[Murphy Brown]]'' has Murphy get abducted by radical environmentalists who are trying to force greater public recognition of crimes against nature committed by certain companies. Everyone they try to contact about holding her hostage is either A: a coworker that had been pranked by her recently, and is glad to see her gone, or B: thinks that this ''is'' a prank. After a day or so she annoys them so much that they let her go.

* In one episode of ''[[Human Target]]'', Chance's ex-girlfriend's husband is captured by a ruthless South American dictator, and she comes up with a plan to kidnap the kidnapper's brother and set up a [[Prisoner Exchange]]. The kidnapping plan is successful, but it turns out the dictator doesn't really want his brother back very much.

* Subverted in the ''[[Supernatural (TV)|Supernatural]]'' episode "Weekend at Bobby's", where Bobby has the ghost of Crowley's son Gavin. Crowley incorrectly assumes that Bobby is trying to get his soul back from him by using his son as a bargaining chip, but Bobby reveals that he knows Crowley and his son hate each other, and that the real bargaining chip is Crowley's earthly remains, whose location Gavin was happy to give him.

* Subverted in the ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' episode "Weekend at Bobby's", where Bobby has the ghost of Crowley's son Gavin. Crowley incorrectly assumes that Bobby is trying to get his soul back from him by using his son as a bargaining chip, but Bobby reveals that he knows Crowley and his son hate each other, and that the real bargaining chip is Crowley's earthly remains, whose location Gavin was happy to give him.

* A ''[[Horrible Histories]]'' sketch has a Saxon woman abducted by a kidnapper and held for ransom. The husband offers to buy her back...[[Comically Small Bribe|for half a penny]], because he's legally obligated to try and buy her back. He hopes the kidnapper will reject his offer so he can remarry, but the kidnapper ends up finding the kidnapped woman so annoying he accepts the half a penny.

* ''[[Married ~~With~~ Children]]'': The villagers of Lower Uncton wanted to kill Al and Bud inside their village out of the belief it'd break a curse while the people of Upper Uncton wanted at least one of them (Al and Bud) to die ''outside'' Lower Uncton so the curse would never end. When Al and Bud got themselves at the border between the two villages, neither side would kill them. At some moment, the Upper Uncton villagers held Peggy and Kelly as hostages to force Al and Bud to go to them, to which the two male Bundys only laffed. A villager from Lower Uncton berated the Upper Unctoners, stating it never worked against the other Bundys.

* ''[[Married... with Children]]'': The villagers of Lower Uncton wanted to kill Al and Bud inside their village out of the belief it'd break a curse while the people of Upper Uncton wanted at least one of them (Al and Bud) to die ''outside'' Lower Uncton so the curse would never end. When Al and Bud got themselves at the border between the two villages, neither side would kill them. At some moment, the Upper Uncton villagers held Peggy and Kelly as hostages to force Al and Bud to go to them, to which the two male Bundys only laffed. A villager from Lower Uncton berated the Upper Unctoners, stating it never worked against the other Bundys.

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== Video Games ==

* In the Central Park Zoo level of ''[[The Punisher (~~Video~~ ~~Game~~)|The Punisher]]'' for the [[X Box]], it is possible to take a specific mook hostage and thus have Frank try and trade him to [[The Dragon]] for the innocent Joan. Quite naturally, [[The Dragon]] doesn't give a damn.

* In the Central Park Zoo level of ''[[The Punisher (2005 video game)|The Punisher]]'' for the [[X Box]], it is possible to take a specific mook hostage and thus have Frank try and trade him to [[The Dragon]] for the innocent Joan. Quite naturally, [[The Dragon]] doesn't give a damn.

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{{quote| '''Bad guy''': Give me the Staff of Ra!

'''Dr. Venture''': Give me head. }}

* Subverted in an episode of ''[[~~American Dad (Animation)|~~American Dad]]'': Francine fakes a kidnapping of Roger in order to prove that Stan really does care about him. Stan's response is complete and total nonchalance, to the point where he actually negotiates the ransom money down to a handful of change. After a few days, he reveals that he knew the whole thing was fake<ref>They have Caller ID, and Francine called from her own cell phone</ref>. Then the [[Zany Scheme]] backfires when Stan draws Francine's attention to the terrible way Roger's been treating her throughout, which makes ''her'' hate him, too.

* Subverted in an episode of ''[[American Dad]]'': Francine fakes a kidnapping of Roger in order to prove that Stan really does care about him. Stan's response is complete and total nonchalance, to the point where he actually negotiates the ransom money down to a handful of change. After a few days, he reveals that he knew the whole thing was fake<ref>They have Caller ID, and Francine called from her own cell phone</ref>. Then the [[Zany Scheme]] backfires when Stan draws Francine's attention to the terrible way Roger's been treating her throughout, which makes ''her'' hate him, too.

* In the ''[[Archer]]'' episode "El Secuestro," Pam gets kidnapped, and the show gets a lot of comedic mileage about just how little ISIS cares. First, Archer hangs up on the ransom negotiations because he thinks the kidnappers are robots and [[Three Laws Compliant|can't harm a human being]]. When pressed, Mallory offers five thousand dollars as ransom, a fraction of what she spent buying a table earlier in the episode. When Archer and Gilette go to rescue her, they get distracted and never get around to it. Then, when there's a [[Mexican Standoff]] and the kidnappers threaten to shoot Pam if they don't lower their weapons. No one lowers their weapons.

* In an episode of ''[[South Park]]'' that strikingly parallels ''[[~~Raiders of the Lost Ark (Film)|~~Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', Tweek steals a bazooka and aims it at [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[George Lucas]] after they've kidnapped the other major characters (it's a long story). "All I want are my friends," Tweek explains - and then he quickly adds "Except for Cartman; you can keep him."

* In an episode of ''[[South Park]]'' that strikingly parallels ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', Tweek steals a bazooka and aims it at [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[George Lucas]] after they've kidnapped the other major characters (it's a long story). "All I want are my friends," Tweek explains - and then he quickly adds "Except for Cartman; you can keep him."

* ''[[Atomic Betty]]'' once had to rescue an Empress captured by Maximus, who demanded a [[McGuffin]] as ransom. Instead of giving him what he wanted, her people told him they didn't want her.

* This is Jane's backstory in ''The Legends of Treaure Island'': Long John Silver kidnapped her hoping to hold her for ransom but she was in her own words "such a little brat" that her parents didn't want her back. As a result Silver was stuck with her until she joined the protagonists.