But their hands aren't literally tied! I mean, they literally said their hands were tied! And there was no rope! They were a fucking liar!
Look, either you have a basic understanding of how human communication includes metaphore, analogy, imagery, equation, in which case you deserve to be derided mercilessly for wasting everyone's time with a bad faith argument, or you don't, in which case I apologize for picking on someone handicapped. I don't like kicking puppies.
You can pick! I'm super generous that way!
And, since this needs explaining, I know that you are not literally a puppy. I would not literally kick you, or a puppy. You see, the word "puppy" in this context is just a stand-in to express the concept of something helpless and innocent and powerless and good-natured on top of all that.