# Bad things our heroes did that no one ever found out about **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989 "2023-08-03T04:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/1 "2023-08-03T04:35:06Z")
On New Battlestar Galactica, Gaius Baltar gave a nuke to a Cylon who used it to kill thousands. No one ever found out. On DS9, Sisko lied and was linked to the murder of A Romulan senator to pull The Romulans into the Dominion War. Only Garak knows everything. I don’t think its ever come out. If it had a passing mention on Discovery, I don’t know about it. Sort of related to the subject…on Game of Thrones, I don’t think Ser Davos, who serves on the Small Council with Bronn at the end…knows that Bronn directly killed his son at BlackWater Bay. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/2 "2023-08-03T05:37:29Z")
OG Magnum outright murdered a Soviet diplomat\* and as far as I could ever tell, got away with it. I know Buck Greene would have loved to hang Magnum for that, so somehow the murder of a diplomat connected to Magnum rated…no investigation? \*he needed killin’ Harry Callahan, after being all self-righteously honest in Magnum Force, let a murderer get clean away in The Dead Pool. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/3 "2023-08-03T05:42:18Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7gdj62aqx-w/hqdefault.jpg "Terms on En-Rampage-Ment") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gdj62aqx-w) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/4 "2023-08-03T12:49:45Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > On New Battlestar Galactica, Gaius Baltar gave a nuke to a Cylon who used it to kill thousands. No one ever found out. I do remember Laura Roslin getting very close, though. She remembered him speaking to a blonde lady. Did no one really ever find out? ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/5 "2023-08-03T13:56:36Z")
On _E.R._, Samantha (Linda Cardellini) shot her abusive ex to death while he slept and her lawyer made it disappear. The ex’s character was a straight-up monster and the audience was totally on her side, but I don’t remember it even being mentioned from a few episodes on until the end of the show. Earlier in the series, Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) had let a killer die when he had him alone in the elevator and he held off on a defib. There was a hearing, and his bosses narrowed their eyes suspiciously a lot, but he never faced consequences. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/6 "2023-08-03T14:03:10Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Earlier in the series, Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) had let a killer die when he had him alone in the elevator and he held off on a defib. There was a hearing, and his bosses narrowed their eyes suspiciously a lot, but he never faced consequences. I think there was a similar scene in _House_ where they let a man wanted as a war criminal die rather than treat him ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/7 "2023-08-03T18:46:01Z")
The list goes on, Jing-Mei Chen euthanized her father with Greg Pratt’s help. Kovac beat a mugger to death with his bare hands and Doug Ross helped a woman euthanize her disabled kid. Those last 2 were investigated, so maybe not what the OP is looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/8 "2023-08-03T18:51:11Z")
He **faked** a defib (discharging the devices without applying them to the patient) while staring into his eyes ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/9 "2023-08-03T21:00:38Z")
(never watched the show) If a patient is in v-fib, he’s not conscious to stare into. Also, a defibrillator leaves a mark. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/10 "2023-08-03T21:10:01Z")
Columbo figured that he’d keep solving murders that baffled the rest of the police force, only he apparently couldn’t qualify on the pistol range as required. And so, after an episode of (a) sleuthing a locked-room mystery in between talk of (b) ‘internal affairs’ _this_ and ‘or I pull your badge’ _that,_ he — paid a guy to take the test for him, and then kept doing what he does best. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/11 "2023-08-03T21:14:53Z")
The defib had already been used, so the marks were already there. Magically conscious v-fib patients I have no excuse for… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/12 "2023-08-03T21:28:07Z")
Is it wrong for Poirot to keep the secret of who the killers were in Murder on the Orient Express? Mind you, I just realized tons of characters do know about that since he discussed it with the murderers. I believe Sherlock Holmes did the same at least once when the victim was atrocious. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/13 "2023-08-03T21:55:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Is it wrong for Poirot to keep the secret of who the killers were in Murder on the Orient Express? I think so. I also thought it was bad to start a film series where the fabled detective goes against his own principles. You should establish those principles before you beak them. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/14 "2023-08-03T22:57:08Z")
On an episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, Angel had reverted to the evil Angelus, whom Buffy had to slay. Willow tried to make him Angel again magically, which she did. Xander knew that she did. Nevertheless, he either didn’t tell Buffy or lied that the spell didn’t work. (It’s been a long time since I saw that episode.) As a result, Buffy slew him, even though she saw he was Angel again, in order to save the world. Nobody ever found out about what Xander knew, although I think it almost happened in one episode. I kept waiting for that shoe to drop throughout the series. Oh, and Angel got better. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/15 "2023-08-03T23:16:15Z")
Becoming, Part 2, Season 2 IIRC, Xander says something like “Willow says…” Buffy: “Yes?” Xander: “Willow says ‘Go get them!’” It was alluded to, tangentially, in a later episode that escapes me right now. But yeah, Xander skated on that one. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/16 "2023-08-03T23:25:07Z")
Also where Chase lets the foreign dictator be treated wrongly and it kills him. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/17 "2023-08-03T23:51:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It was alluded to, tangentially, in a later episode that escapes me right now. But yeah, Xander skated on that one. I just looked it up and indeed, Xander never appears to have told her and she never found out. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2023, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/18 "2023-08-04T01:59:25Z")
In a season 7 episode, Buffy throws that statement back at _Willow_ who is understandably confused, but the danger of the day was so important that they moved onto other topics. Xander’s lie was apparently hugely controversial in fandom - to the point that if you google “Xander’s lie” with no other info, you’ll get a lot of Buffy discussions/fan fiction/etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2023, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/19 "2023-08-04T02:11:35Z")
Thats exactly the kind of thing I was talking about…“And one on ever knew” Similarly on GoT (and Im sure there are tons of at least near examples on there and Hot D) Sansa backed up Littlefingers lie over what happened to Lysa…her part in it never came to light. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989/20 "2023-08-04T02:14:25Z")
_The Naked Sun_ by Asimov; Elijah Baley and R. Daneel agree not to tell anyone that Gladia Delmarre killed her husband while in a dissociative state, and choose to let people believe that Jothan Leebig tricked a robot into doing the deed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-things-our-heroes-did-that-no-one-ever-found-out-about/987989.md?page=2)