# A deus ex machina saves you from a sadistic enemy. Do you take revenge, or leave peacefully? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570 "2015-09-17T16:54:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/21 "2015-09-17T21:49:55Z")
No question, I’m going to go all Gregory Hines on their nuts. Then their necks. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/22 "2015-09-18T02:35:01Z")
Knowing these enemies, they’re likely going to keep murdering and eating other victims. The way I see it, letting them go free after I rescued my comrades would be no different than rescuing my friends, but ignoring the still cannibal-besieged aid worker compound next door because we haven’t been formally introduced. In other words…[“To Peace!”](http://static.wixstatic.com/media/d46c81_13af6c4094844cb6b9f3d99a91feb9ed.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/23 "2015-09-18T03:21:31Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > First rule of warfare - know when you’re outgunned and get out and regroup. > > I’d take my men and skeedaddle out of there back to headquarters, at which point I’d get reinforcements, supplies, a whole can of weaponry whoop ass, and a new battle plan. Once all that is assembled, I’d head back out there and show those scrofulous sons of alien camels who’s boss. Golly, I hope you can do all that within your time limit. Cause the RhE CEO is a right bastard, and if all this faffing about results in your being in the midst of battle when the 24 hours is up, he’s still teleporting the armor back. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/24 "2015-09-18T03:25:39Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Revenge is bad. But teaching a lesson is not. And I am ethically required to try and stop this threat from hurting others. > > I might try to avoid killing, but the equipment provided doesn’t seem to make this much of an option. And I only have 24 hours, so I can’t wait and see if my lesson holds. My only choice is to kill in significant numbers, I think. > > The only other option I can think of would require being able to create some sort of natural barrier they’d have to wait until they got much more intelligent to cross. And then warn people ahead of time. But I don’t see the equipment being good enough to do this. > > Well, that changes things. Can I get in contact with these people? I was assuming that, from the OP, no one else from Skald Enterprises was going to intervene, and that there wasn’t any other force out there that could intervene–at least, not that I could get to handle the issue. DREAMY might get some super-hero help. ON HER DAY OFF. And if she can swing the interuniversal transport fees. You are not she. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/25 "2015-09-18T03:29:39Z")
I’m feeling pragmatic today. Reavers shall be dead. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/26 "2015-09-18T09:10:31Z")
Get everyone out. Report the cannibals, and hope HMG takes _Nemo me impune lacessit_ seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/27 "2015-09-18T09:40:52Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > How is it sexist, apart from the Dream Girl bit?[Damsels can wear Stark armor too, you know,](http://www.angelfire.com/comics/benriely/bethanycabe.html) Huge metal hoo-haahs for the girl armor? Yeah, nothing sexist going on there. If equality is the issue, I demand a conspicuous metal codpiece for mine. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/28 "2015-09-18T12:03:42Z")
Assuming that there are other people and communities that the bad guys could target, I would end them. “Might makes right” is not exactly ideal, but if I’m in those circumstances, and I have the ‘might’, you can be damn sure I’m gonna do some ‘right’. ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/29 "2015-09-18T12:57:54Z")
I get out peacefully and with due gratitude. Kicking the bully while my mom holds him down does not make me any kind of a big damn hero. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/30 "2015-09-18T13:17:15Z")
> [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](#): > > Kicking the bully while my mom holds him down does not make me any kind of a big damn hero. You want to be a hero, or do you want revenge? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/31 "2015-09-18T13:42:03Z")
I don’t have some kind of moral stance against revenge, I just don’t see the point. They are trying to kill you, you are trying to kill them. That being said, yeah, I’d kill them. Making the world that much safer? I would say it ethically is my great responsibility since I have the…great power. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/32 "2015-09-18T21:11:36Z")
“said enemy has already killed … your best friend.” Revenge. Of the most painful kind I can pull off. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/33 "2015-09-20T00:36:15Z")
Options 1, 2 and 5 for me. Those are truly bad guys, and I have every reason to be really, _really_ pissed off. Easy decision: I’m going to go all Old Testament on them, and smile as I do. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/34 "2015-09-20T01:14:22Z")
I’m against the death penalty when there is some doubt as to the guilt of the accused (I think I mentioned this in another thread, I think the standard for a death penalty case should be “guilty beyond all doubt short of supernatural intervention”.) Well, these cannibals are surrounding you, holding weapons, and I assume the remnants of the last bunch they murdered are still in their cookpots. Not even a debate here. Light em up. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/35 "2015-09-21T15:32:14Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Options 1, 2 and 5 for me. Those are truly bad guys, and I have every reason to be really, _really_ pissed off. Easy decision: I’m going to go all Old Testament on them, and smile as I do. Fool of a Numenorean! You’re wearing Iron Man armor. The helmet completely covers your face. _No one can see you smiling._ Unless you take off the face mask while you’re fighting, which seems unwise to me. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/36 "2015-09-21T17:49:16Z")
I don’t care if they see me smiling; I care that they die for their crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/37 "2015-09-21T18:40:36Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I don’t care if they see me smiling; I care that they die for their crimes. … I’m gonna have to schedule you to retake Gloating 108. I’ll send a comfortbot over with the details. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/38 "2015-09-21T19:36:46Z")
I’ll take the comfortbot (you know what she should look like) - thanks! Hmm. If I’m going to be gloating while safely keeping my helmet visor closed, maybe your Vast Soulless Evil Corporation can rig some kind of holoprojector for my suit? If my enemies saw my huge, grinning, grimly-delighted visage looming over them as I efficiently hustle them all off into eternity, that could be cool. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570/39 "2015-09-23T05:04:34Z")
I voted for revenge. I would kill them even if I knew they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) hurt anyone else. I’m not entirely convinced that vengeance and justice are two different things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-deus-ex-machina-saves-you-from-a-sadistic-enemy-do-you-take-revenge-or-leave-peacefully/731570.md?page=1)