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{{trope}}
{{quote|"''You're a funny man, Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.''"|'''John Matrix''', ''[[Commando (Filmfilm)|Commando]]''<ref>[[I Lied|He lied.]]</ref>}}
 
Part of a villainous stock phrase that usually goes "When I take over the world, you will be spared." The other variations are "I think I'll kill you last" and "Your death will be quick and painless."
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An alternative reason for a villain to invoke this trope is to leave behind a witness to tell of their misdeed, intending for it to have a demoralizing effect on the villain's enemies.
 
Contrast [[I'll Kill You|I'll Kill You!]].
 
{{examples}}
 
== Anime & Manga ==
* Marik Ishtar from ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!: theThe Abridged Series|Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series]]'' has to following evil monologue:
{{quote| With his help I shall defeat you and then conquer the world! [[Evil Laugh|Ah-hahaha!]] [[Distracted By the Shiny|Oh hey look a bird!]] [[Pet the Dog|Isn't it just the cutest little guy]]-- I mean no! In my new world all birds will be enslaved! ''Especially this one!'' And he shall be named Mr. Tweetums, because it is ''very evil!'' Ah-hahaha! Now be gone Mr. Tweetums. I am trying to stalk my nemesis.}}
** He also likes Joey, who will be killed last.
** Evil Bakura quotes the ''[[Commando (Filmfilm)|Commando]]'' exchange with Pegasus.
* For ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]'s'' Ladd Russo and Lua Klein, nothing says [[Mad Love|love]] like "I'll kill you last."
** Ladd also says something along those lines to Graham Spectre ("No, I won't...I like brazen and impudent guys that only I'm able kill"), at which point Graham [[Ho Yay|starts fanboying him like nobody's business]].
* The [[Big Bad]] of [[Fullmetal Alchemist]] didn't ''say'' anything until he'd [[Batman Gambit|already made his move]], but once they're the only two left alive he gives something along the lines of this trope to Van Hohenheim, "in gratitude for giving me life." Poor man had had [[Genre Blind|no inkling]] Homunculus was evil until then, and they had even established in conversation that he was basically his father.
** This might help explain his somewhat ambivalent attitude toward his [[Hot -Blooded|second]] and [[Gentle Giant|third]] sons. After one goes all [[Omnicidal Maniac]] on you and [[What Have I Become?|turns you into]] an [[I Am a Monster|immortal]] [[Catch Phrase|monster]]....
* In ''[[Aura Battler Dunbine]]'', when the bad guys arrive on Earth announce their plan to conquer it, they say they will spare the city of Boston out of respect for one of their pilots who came from there.
 
 
== [[Fan Works]] ==
* In the ''[[Death Note (Manga)|Death Note]]'' fic ''[[A Cure for Love (Fanfic)|A Cure for Love]]'' Light says the following to L [[Open Mouth Insert Foot|without really thinking about what he said]] [[Murder Is the Best Solution|because killing people who annoy him has almost become an automatic response]]:
{{quote| '''Light''': [[Friendly Enemy|You're not trying to do something stupid are you?]]<br />
'''L''': I'm not doing anything stupid, Light. Apart from speaking to you.<br />
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* In the ''[[Saturday Night Live|Coneheads]]'' movie, this is what Mr. Conehead says to the woman who sabotages her driving exam in an attempt to start an affair with him. He won't sleep with her, but promises she'll be on the protected list once his people invade.
* [[Transformers Film Series|Megatron makes the offer to Sam]]: "Give me the Allspark, and you may live to be my pet."
** Becomes a major plot point in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon|third film]]. {{spoiler|Carly's boss Dylan, and some of his associates, are the descendents of humans who worked for NASA when the ''Ark'' was discovered on the moon. To ensure that no other human learned of this, Soundwave and Laserbeak forced NASA's employees to keep quiet about the discovery, lest they be killed off. Dylan turns out to be one of the few humans chosen to be spared after the Decepticons enslave humanity, possibly to work as a liaison between the 'Cons and the human slaves. It's also revealed that the various deaths in history related to NASA were Soundwave and Laserbeak getting rid of "loose ends."}}
* Col. John Matrix ([[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]) tells this to one of the villains in ''[[Commando (Filmfilm)|Commando]]''. Later, [[High Altitude Interrogation|he's hanging him over a long drop]] by his leg:
{{quote| '''Matrix''': Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?<br />
'''Sully''': Yes. That's right Matrix, you did!<br />
'''Matrix''': [[I Lied]]. ''(Drops Sully to his death.)'' }}
* [[Anti -Hero]]-ic version in ''[[Blade|Blade 2]]''. Blade gets information out of a Vampire Mook, saying, "Tell me what I want to know, and I'll consider you as a loose end." The Mook spills the beans, and Blade actually lets him get away, even when he runs into him again later on. Of course, [[Brick Joke|at the very end]], Blade catches up to the guy in a sleazy porn theater about three countries away: "Well you didn't think I forgot about you did you? <Brain-stab>"
* In ''[[Doctor Zhivago (Filmfilm)|Doctor Zhivago]]'', Yuri runs into the War Train of the brutal Bolshevik general Strelnikov, whom no one knows anything about. After questioning, he discovers that Strelnikov is actually his long-lost lover's [[Bishonen]] {{spoiler|ex-boyfriend, who [[Never Found the Body|was presumed dead]]}} and suffered a [[Heroic BSOD]] and now carries an [[Good Scars, Evil Scars|evil scar]]. He informs Dr. Zhivago that Lara is still alive and has been spared the purge due to their past relationship. After leaving, the guards tell Yuri he must be blessed: [[He Who Must Not Be Seen|no one is questioned by Strelnikov and lived to tell the tale]].
* In [[Lord Of Illusions|Lord of Illusions]], Nix confesses to Swann that his intent (unsurprisingly) is to "murder the world", but rather charitably offers to kill Swann last if he helps Nix with said murder.
** "Now you know I will kill you when we're done. I have to."
* In ''[[Billy Madison]]'', after Billy apologizes to a guy he used to bully as a kid, said person marks him off his "People to Kill" list {{spoiler|and [[Big Damn Heroes|saves his life in the ending]]}}.
* In ''[[Hellboy (Filmfilm)|Hellboy]]'', Rasputin says "It will be quick" to Professor Bruttenholm right before he kills him. It appears to be true.
* During a flashback in ''[[Secondhand Lions]]'', Hub has The Sheik, who has tried to kill him on several occasions, defenseless, and at his mercy. He decides to spare him, and leaves him with this.
{{quote| '''Hub:''' "I have held your life in my hands twice, and twice I have given it back to you. The third time, ''your life is mine''."}}
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== Literature ==
* [[Ur Example]]: In ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]'', when Odysseus gives his name to the Cyclops as "Noman", the Cyclops says that he will eat "Noman" last.
* A rare heroic version in [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s ''[[Have Space Suit - Will Travel]]'': just before [[Humanity Onon Trial]], Kip is assured that he and Pee-wee will be allowed to live out their lives. Kip asks that they be returned to Earth if humanity loses, which may have been a factor in deciding to spare for now -- although they intend to re-evaluate later.
* In ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Wintersmith|Wintersmith]]'', the titular [[Anthropomorphic Personification]] offered to spare Tiffany and the Chalk (where she came from); the rest of the Disc would remain frozen forever.
* Inverted by Virigar [[Our Werewolves Are Different|the Werewolf King]] in [[Ryk Spoor]]'s ''[[Jason Wood (Literature)|Digital Knight]]'', when he tells Jason Wood, "I'm minded to let you live for a while.... So you will suffer all the more while everything you value is destroyed before your very eyes!"
* In the book ''Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter'' the main vampire--though not exactly a villain--would say, every time he and Abraham Lincoln met, and he didn't kill him--or the vampire would save him--he'd ask why and the vampire would say "Some people are just too interesting to kill." Then in the end, when Abraham Lincoln died {{spoiler|and the vampire brought him back as a vampire himself, he said, "Some people are just too interesting to let die."}}
* [[The Onion]]'s ''Our Dumb Century" features Hitler saying this about the Japanese.
* ''[[Harry Potter (Literaturenovel)|Harry Potter]]'': {{spoiler|After bumping Lily and her family to top of Voldemort's hit list, Severus Snape begged him to spare her (though ''not'' her husband and son), in part due to his unrequited love for her. It didn't work, though Voldemort offered Lily the chance to step aside.}}
 
 
== Live-Action TV ==
* ''[[Friends]]'' has this exchange from Phoebe: ''When the revolution comes, I will have to destroy you all... except you, Joey.''
* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' has [[Foe Yay|Sylar informing Mohinder]] "I wasn't begging for my life... I was offering you yours."
* Because they had an unwitting hand in his genesis, a [[Big Bad]] tells the [[Lexx]] crew that they will be [[Omnicidal Maniac|the last in the universe to die]].
{{quote| '''Mantrid:''' That will be my thank you.}}
* On ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'', the demons assisting Lucifer will be killed as soon as Lucifer is finished with the humans and angels if not sooner. Any demon caught assisting Team Free Will will be granted [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|immortality]] [[And I Must Scream|instead]].
* ''[[Lost]]'' inverts the "I'll kill you last" variety. Said by Ethan to Charlie, this is a ''threat'': Charlie will see all his friends die before he's killed.
** "What They Died For" plays it straight with the Man in Black offering to spare Penny if Widmore tells him what he needs to know.
* [[Young Dracula|Ingrid]] tells her therapist this after the therapist helps her get past her [[Villainous BSOD]]. The therapist believes that her ability to make such jokes is a good sign.
* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', season 6: While drowning sorrows and bemoaning their (lack of) love lives together, Spike tells Anya that she's the only one he wouldn't bite if he didn't have his [[Restraining Bolt]]. He respects women who say exactly what's on their minds (even if they happen to be off their rocker like Drusilla).
 
 
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* This is one of the taunts in [[Command and Conquer|Red Alert 2]]. The exact wording depends on the faction, ranging from "I promise amnesty for you and your troops" for the Americans, to "Surrender now and I'll kill you quickly" for the Cubans.
* Inverted in ''[[Star Control 2]]''; if you [[Nonstandard Game Over|surrender to the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za]], they will tell you that all of your crew will be spared, but your main character will be executed.
* [[Sealed Evil in Aa Can|Axenos]] from [[Wizard 101]] inverts this trope by combining it with [[Mercy Kill]]. Since the player (accidentally) releases him, he thanks them and promises to kill the first [[Fate Worse Than Death|so they would be spared from witnessing the horrors he'd bring about on the Spiral]].
 
 
== Webcomics ==
* In ''[[Pv PPvP (Webcomicwebcomic)|Pv P]]'', after horrifying him by [[Story -Boarding the Apocalypse]], Scratch reassures a quivering Skull that ''his'' death will be painless.
* ''[[VG Cats]]'' plays with this [http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=199 here] with the [[Path of Inspiration|The Church Of The]] [[One -Winged Angel]] [[Final Fantasy (Franchise)|Of Latter-Day Summons]].
{{quote| ''"So if I join, I'll be saved?"''<br />
''"Oh no, you'll still die...but '''faster.'''"'' }}
* ''[[Dominic Deegan]]'' uses this when Snow Song is thinking about how she'll destroy the town in a restaurant, but then the waitress gives her some chocolate cake on the house:
{{quote| '''Snow Song''': ''None'' of these drones will be spared... Except for her.}}
* In ''[[Eight 8-Bit Theater (Webcomic)|Eight Bit Theater]]'', Sarda shows mercy to the [[Affably Evil]] Dark Warriors:
{{quote| "Look, I don't do this... uh, ever. But you guys are basically like kittens stuck on a leaking lifeboat in a typhoon. Just run."}}
** Also, upon stumbling upon the Dark Warriors trying to steal the [[Cosmic Keystone|Cosmic Keystones]] to defeat him and gain ultimate power, Sarda asks them if they even know how to use them. Bikke tosses his keystone at Sarda, becoming the first person in the series to land any sort of hit on him:
{{quote| "You're a quick thinker ''and'' spiteful. I can respect that. You won't be killed, Bikke."}}
* [[Cuanta Vida (Webcomic)|"You're a crazy bastard, yes? You, I like. I'll kill you last."]] Though considering the speaker's ''[[Fate Worse Than Death|modus operandi]]'', this is probably of no consolation to the guy who ''really'' doesn't like seeing his friends killed.
* [[Bob and George]] [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/041121c For being entertaining opponents]
* [http://buttersafe.com/2009/02/12/children/ This] Buttersafe.
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{{quote| '''Gil''', to Tarvek: "I ''am'' Gilgamesh Wulfenbach - heir to the Empire and defender of the [[Alternate History|Pax Transylvaniana]] - and I ''will'' crush this whole [[Ancient Conspiracy|Knights of Jove]]/Storm King ''mess'' of yours. Ooh, don't worry - I'll let ''you'' escape. ''You'' can go ''skulking around'' with your little ''plans'' - after all, I'll ''always'' need someone to ''[[The Scapegoat|take the blame]]''."}}
** Castle Heterodyne eventually uses the "I will kill you quickly" line on {{spoiler|Professor Tiktoffen, while crushing him to death.}}
* A posthumous variant is employed in ''[[Sam and Fuzzy]]'', in which {{spoiler|Mr. Blank}} states that he made {{spoiler|Mr. Black}}'s death as quick and painless as possible because the person in question "had earned it"... [[To the Pain|But the person he's talking to is]] ''[[To the Pain|not]]'' [[No -Holds -Barred Beatdown|going to be in for the same treatment]].
 
 
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* ''[[Futurama]]:'' Bender has said he might spare Fry when he kills all humans.
** At Fry's funeral (don't worry, [[All Just a Dream|he gets better]]):
{{quote| '''Bender:''' ''"Whenever I said [[Crush! Kill! Destroy!|'Kill all humans']], I'd whisper to myself '...except for one'. [[Robot Buddy|He was the one!]]"'' <nowiki>* bursts into tears* </nowiki>}}
** As of "Lethal Inspection", Hermes has been added to the list of humans to not kill.
** Robot Santa proclaimed his intention to kill the entire Planet Express team ... except Zoidberg, who hadn't been naughty and got a pogo stick instead.
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* The [[Justice League Unlimited]] episode ''Alive'' offers Darkseid's take:
{{quote| '''Darkseid:''' It seems I have you to thank {{spoiler|for my resurrection.}} Though your world will suffer slowly, I grant ''you'' a quick death.}}
* In the fourth episode of ''[[The Legend of Korra (Animation)|The Legend of Korra]]'', Amon ambushes Korra and has a golden opportunity to {{spoiler|take her bending away}}, but doesn't take it because {{spoiler|that would make her a martyr}}. Instead he gives a [[Breaking Speech]] explaining that he'll save her for last.
 
 
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* This is supposedly one of the reasons to worship [[Cthulhu]]. Upon his rising, cultists will be devoured first, sparing them what happens next.
* Seen on [[Image Boards|4chan]]: "youfunnyguyikillyoulast.jpg"
* On ''[[LO LcatsLOLcats|I Can Has Cheezburger?]]'': [http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/08/12/funny-pictures-i-eets-yoo-last/ A promise made by a cute little tiger cub.]
* ''[[Red vs. Blue (Machinima)|Red vs. Blue]]'', [[Big Bad]] [[Omnicidal Maniac]] Omega discussing his plans to conquer the universe with [[Mission Control]] Vic.
{{quote| ''"Then, the universe will be mine, and I'll CRUSH EVERY LIVING SOUL INTO DUST!!.... Um... except for you, Vic. You can be assistant crusher."''}}
* In ''[[The Onion]]''`s "Our Dumb Century", this is the Nazis' response when (as the headline says) ''Non-white Japan allies with White Supremacist Nazi Germany in Well-Thought Out Scheme''.
* Dane Cook has a stand-up act about [[Because You Were Nice to Me|befriending]] the [[Loners Are Freaks|creepy loner]] in your office so that this happens when he inevitably snaps and goes on a rampage with a shotgun.
* On [[Atop the Fourth Wall (Web Video)|Atop the Fourth Wall]], because he defeated someone who was a nuisance to it the Entity ''does'' save Linkara for last and lets him run and hide after {{spoiler|it absorbs everyone else}} - but it's waiting when he comes back out.
 
 
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