What's it called when the bad guy gets eaten?
Is there a specific name for the plot device in which the story's "Big Bad" has a cunning plan to use some monstrous being to further their diabolical machinations. This may be something summoned from elsewhere, brought back from banishment after earlier issues, or even the creation of magic or mad science. But when it arrives/arises it turns around and destroys the existing Big Bad only to pursue its own campaign of destruction that continues to tie down the same protagonists?
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1 answer
Just Desserts
From TV Tropes:
A villain ultimately finds their evil deeds come back to bite them. Literally—they end up getting eaten.
This does not include a Heroic Sacrifice. But may be subverted with a minor character being killed and eaten in obvious foreshadowing of what is going to happen to one of the bads at some point. While Mooks may be recipients of the Just Desserts, a true Just Dessert is reserved for those higher up the ladder. If the beast doing the eating was unleashed by the guy who gets eaten, he's been Hoist by His Own Petard, making him a Self-Disposing Villain. Bonus points if he made a practice of feeding people to said beast beforehand.
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