| abstract | - A Fair Play Villain is a villain who, when the hero is at their mercy, gives the hero a Hope Spot. If the villain traps the hero in their prison, they'll allow them an escape chance. If they get the hero into their deadly arena, they promise to let them go if the hero can beat the monster. This type of villain suffers from Bond Villain Stupidity -- he could just kill the hero now, but where's the sport in that? The defining characteristic of the Fair Play Villain is that this act is sincere. He's not lying or deceiving the hero, he's genuinely giving them a chance to win, and will probably (though not always) hold up his end of the bargain if they prevail. He might hope the hero fails, or bend the rules a bit, but ultimately he still gives the hero the opportunity to beat him. The villain's interest may be in proving to the hero how helpless they are by kicking them while they're down, giving them a second chance so they can fail again. Perhaps the villain is interested in what the hero's capabilities are, or wants to see him prove himself. The villain may be Nigh Invulnerable and believes Victory Is Boring, and finds more challenge in giving the hero a fair shot. The villain may be an Anti-Villain who wishes to best the hero in a fair contest. Compare Why Don't Ya Just Shoot Him, the logical question that this trope answers. May overlap with Let's Fight Like Gentlemen, Just Toying with Them, Hunting the Most Dangerous Game, and Mercy Lead. See also the Spirited Competitor and Worthy Opponent. Can be related to the Sadistic Choice. Has absolutely nothing to do with Jonny Fairplay from Survivor. Examples of Fair Play Villain include:
|
