What's in It For Me?

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

This is a Stock Phrase used when questioning the benefit to oneself of doing something one is asked to do, often implying that self-interest can make or break their decision, or at least serve as a tiebreaker.

Examples of What's in It For Me? include:

Film

  • Templeton uses this frequently in Charlotte's Web. It's a repeated theme in the movie that he's repeatedly answered with something that really IS in it for him, and in turn, Templeton frequently does the right thing for the wrong reasons.
  • Dazed and Confused

Freshman Girl: Will you marry me?
Dawson: I don't know. What's in it for me?

Hershe Las Palmas: What's in it for me?
Snake Plissken: I know that voice. You're Carjack Malone.

Edgar: So, Ella of Frell is your sister. [snip] Tell me, what do you know about her?
Hattie: What's in it for me?
Heston: How about that your eyeballs remain inside your head?

  • In Transformers: The Movie, after Megatron is thrown into the depths of space by Starscream, he is "rescued" by Unicron, who commands him to destroy the Matrix of Leadership. Megatron's reaction is predictable:

Megatron: Why should I? What's in it for me?
Unicron: Your bargaining posture is highly dubious...but very well. I will provide you with a new body, and new troops to command.
Megatron: And?
Unicron: And nothing! You belong to me now!

  • Kiss Me Deadly

Lt. Murphy: Mike, why don't you tell us what you know? Then step aside like a nice fella and let us do our job.
Mike Hammer: What's in it for me?

  • Escape from the Bronx.

Strike: [about the kidnapping plan] Hey wait a minute, wait a minute, what's in it for me?
Moon Grey: That's simple. If they want their president back, they have to put things back the way the were.
Trash: The Bronx will be back in the hands of the gangs, which means you'll go back to being the number one man for all the big robberies.

Bugs: Eh, what's in it for me to be "vewy, vewy quiet"?
Elmer: Well, uh, gee. I, uh, I don't know. I, uh, I didn't know I had to pay for quiet. Uh, how 'bout a nickel?
Bugs: AHA! Tryin' to bribe me, eh? That, sir, is contributing to the delinquency of a minor!

  • Anamaria's first line in Pirates of the Caribbean is an angry response to Jack trying to rally up a crew ("What's the benefit for us?"). The benefit ends up being a beautiful ship.
  • Agent Cody Banks: Cody attempts to leave for a mission, but his little brother (whom he just told him was a "junior agent") reminds him he's grounded. Cody then offers him to be a "junior junior agent" (to let him go on his mission). The usual line comes, then cut to Cody leaving the house, then to his little brother with a considerable amount of allowance money.

Literature

  • The Truth. William De Worde has published information in his newspaper about Lord Vetinari's apparently committing a murder, much to Commander Vimes' distress. Vimes asks him: (1) not to bleed too much when someone attacks him over what he wrote (2) not to ask Watch personnel about the case and (3) not interfere with the investigation.

De Worde: I'll remember. But, if you don't mind my asking, what's in it for me?

  • George R. R. Martin's Haviland Tuf short story "A Beast for Norn". After Tuf sells fighting animals to each of the 12 Great Houses of the planet Lyronica, the last buyer tells him that either Tuf will leave the planet or he'll be killed. Tuf responds "I am easily distracted and I may have failed to hear the part wherein you explained the incentive you will offer me for acceding to your request to deal no more with the Great Houses of Lyronica." The buyer offers him a huge sum of money in compensation, and Tuf agrees.
  • In The Hot Gate, the subject of personal benefit from cooperating with one another comes up in a conversation between "Comet" Parker and one of the engineers for the 143rd.

Live-Action TV

  • True Blood episode "Never Let Me Go". Eric is dying when a boy appears.

Eric Northman: What are you waiting for? Kill me.
Godric: Could you be a companion of death? Could you walk with me through the world? Through dark? I'll teach you all I know. I'll be your father, your brother, your child.
Eric Northman: What is in it for me?
Godric: What you love most... life.

Blair Waldorf: I have a proposition for you. [snip] Dan stole your best friend, now you can steal his. Seduce and destroy.
Chuck Bass: What's in it for me?
Blair Waldorf: The thrill of the impossible. The only person Vanessa loathes more than me is you. It'll be one for the ages.

Brad Bellick: Why are you so interested in that guy in the sewer?
Michael Scofield: No reason.
Brad Bellick: Then why are you whispering, college boy?
Michael Scofield: Why don't you lower your voice already?
Brad Bellick: What's in it for me?

  • Psych episode "A Very Juliet Episode"

Shawn Spencer: Could you ask those people to *not* do those things to Scott?
J.T. Waring: Perhaps. What's in it for me?
Shawn Spencer: How about I bake you a cake that's extra high in... iron?

Eliot Spencer: What's in it for me?
Nathan Ford: Payback. And if it goes right, a lot of money.
Parker: And what's in it for me?
Nathan Ford: A lot of money. And if it goes right, payback.

Naboo: What's in it for me?
Dixon Bainbridge: I don't know. How about I throw in a Kit Kat?

Katrina: If you're still looking for a bottling plant, I know of one going cheap.
Archie: Where?
Katrina: Put it this way - what's in it for me?

Felicity King: Mother and Father are going off to the White Sands tomorrow night and I'm babysitting. [snip] If you make yourself scarce, I won't tell if you won't. [snip]
Felix King: What's in it for me?

  • Lovejoy episode "One Born Every Minute"

Whiteman: We'd like you to do something for us, Lovejoy.
Lovejoy: What's in it for me? I don't work for God, Queen, or country... only for cash!

Blackadder: I want you to take the place of the Prince Regent and kill the Duke of Wellington in a duel.
Mad McAdder: Aye, and what's in it for me?
Blackadder: Enough cash to buy the Outer Hebrides. What do you think?
Mad McAdder: Fourteen shillings and six-pence? Well, it's tempting.

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive episode "Estralita

Josh Randall: What's in it for me?
Estralita: My gratitude.
Josh Randall: Well, kind of a hard thing to spend.
Estralita: So are a lot of worthwhile things.

Western Animation

Dr. Strange: Dr. Doom, I have a proposition for you. Since we helped your headquarters from Iron Menace, help us defeat him.
Dr. Doom: Really? What's in it for me?
Silver Surfer: I know. How about a plate of fungus and ragweed burgers? Yummy in the tummy.
Dr. Doom: I'll help only if you keep him from ever cooking again.

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