We already have a thread about
how much damage they suffer
in the fight, so this is about what happens
after the fight, when the loser is knocked out or has surrendered and is now at the mercy of the winner.
My favorite losing characters play a relatively small role in the story or movie. By what they do or say, with whom they are associated or simply how they look, they trigger Schadenfreude rather than compassion. Unexpected FATALITIES won't ruin the winner's
cheerfulness and no matter how harsh the loser's fate is, the casual viewer is supposed to react like "Oops!", "Serves you right!" or "No big loss!"
In contrast, I love to envision their individual lives and often I see them as rather nice and likeable persons, with friends, families and all that jazz. So my reaction may be like "I hope it's not as bad as it looks." (But sometimes it is, making the story more tragic, but also more thrilling.)
For starters, it's important that the defeated are not forgotten, even if they are completely unimportant for the story. Those who are knocked out or dead are lying around decoratively, in embarrassing or cartoonish fashion. Those who have given up are showing shock, fear and anger. And the camera (or the skill of the artist) allows an extensive look at this scenery.
What follows depends on my mood. It ranges from quite optimistic to extremely cruel and may actually contradict popular movie tropes.
I love
big shoot outs, where the protagonists take down those who hunt them by the dozen. Their post-defeat fate may be relieving when it turns out that they have been shot down, but not shot dead and will eventually recover.
A good fighter may suffer a painful, humiliating beating. Comical stuff like huge lumps, crossed eyes, tongue hanging out or missing teeth are fine, and I love the idea of the hair-vs-hair match. The winner will celebrate, and taunt the loser, but usually they won't do any more serious damage. So the loser may come back to fight another day.
However, the question "What shall we do with them, now that they are knocked out or captured?" is more urging when
they are a large group of inept baddies and the heroes have more important things to worry about, like
how to defeat a major villain.
I love to see henchies rounded up and delivered to the people who have been tormented and exploited by them before. Then the good guys move on and don't give a damn about how far the people will go in roughing up the ruffians.
How far should they go?
Losing their clothes, their hair and maybe a couple of teeth works fine in most scenarios - just as in the single fights. The chance of losing
much more is significant higher though. (And
male thugs have something special to worry about.)
What's at the end of the
road?
Sold to slavery or sent to prison for a very long time?
Or straight to the
netherworld?
Usually I want to see those specimen who are, for one reason or another, "my type", avoid that nasty fate at the very last second. But you can't always get what you want and it adds suspense when nobody is absolutely safe.
And I have to admit that concluding the story with
this image always had a certain fascination for me.
(The evil ruler is dead, the heroes ride into the sunset, the oppressed take over the palace, the good couple enjoys the happy end... and the whole scene is decorated with dangling henchfolk.)