Screw This, I'm Outta Here/Playing With

Basic Trope: A character abandons their role to avoid getting involved in conflict.

• Straight: Bob works as a henchman for Damien, but decides to escape from Damien's castle rather than take part in the latest fight against Jesse.
• Exaggerated: Jesse's approach to the castle causes mass desertion amongst Damien's troops.
• Justified: Bob was forced into service for Damien and is looking for any excuse to quit.
  • Bob just realized that Even Evil Has Standards and doesn't like the way Damien is going mad with power.
• Inverted: Bob, Jesse's arch-rival, joins Damien's army just in time to fight Jesse.
• Subverted: Damien catches Bob trying to escape and drags him back to his post.
• Double Subverted: Once Damien is distracted fighting Jesse, Bob manages to escape successfully.
• Parodied: Bob keeps a packed suitcase by the back door, ready to run at any given moment.
  • Bob puts up with all manner of humiliations while working for Damien; however, the last straw comes when Damien cancels Casual Friday (or makes him work overtime without extra pay).
• Deconstructed: Bob's desertion is indicative of Damien's shortcomings as a leader, as he is unable to inspire loyalty in his followers.
  • Bob becomes a target for revenge amongst those who remained loyal to Damien.
• Reconstructed: Damien defeats Jesse, making Bob come back.
• Zig Zagged: Bob flees before the fight starts, but then changes his mind and comes back. However, when he sees Jesse single-handedly wiping out the rest of Damien's army, he turns around and runs again.
  • Alternatively, see Deconstructed and then Reconstructed.
• Averted: Bob does not attempt to run from the battle.
• Enforced: "We want to bring Bob back for the sequel. Let's keep him away from the final battle to explain how he survived."
• Lampshaded: "I can guess how this fight's gonna turn out, and I want no part of it!"
• Invoked: Jesse manages to convince Bob to walk away without a fight.
• Defied: Damien equips Bob with an Explosive Leash to prevent him from going AWOL.
• Discussed: "So you're working for Damien, huh? Got an escape route planned yet?"
• Conversed: "If Bob has any sense, he'll get outta there while he still can."
• Played For Laughs: Damien makes a grandiose speech about fighting Jesse to the last man, then turns around just in time to see Bob slam the exit door behind him.
• Played For Drama: Bob's exit comes at a crucial moment in the battle, leaving Damien at Jesse's mercy.
  • Bob left because Damien was a Complete Monster who does all the horrible crap he does just because he can. Since even Bob has standards, the latter ran away from the battle. Which is bad for Damien, because Bob was one of his best soldiers.
  • Bob and Damien used to be good friends. Bob's decision to quit comes at the end of a great deal of internal conflict for him.

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Forget it. You know what? Screw This, I'm Outta Here!