History Main / AlwaysSaveTheGirl

* Discussed in ''Film/CourageUnderFire'', which reflected a real-life shift in the U.S. military's attitudes toward women in combat. As noted under "Real Life" below, female soldiers themselves weren't a problem, but prior experience suggested that male colleagues would endanger themselves or the mission to protect the woman.

* The end of ''[[LightNovel/{{Slayers}} Slayers NEXT]]'', when Lina chooses to cast a spell that can potentially wipe out the entire universe just to save Gourry. However that season's BigBad was pressing her ''very hard'' to force her to cast that particular spell; Lina would have been killed if she ''didn't'' cast it, and that [[BreakTheCutie she had been severely psychologically abused by this point]]. Moreover, she had made very clear that she did not want to do it and she tried all alternatives she could come up with until she ran out of options. [[MortonsFork At the end]] she had to choose between casting the Giga Slav and ''maybe'' destroy the universe or getting killed by the BigBad together with Gourry and all of her allies. [[spoiler: Neither of these outcomes happen, but solely because the Lord of Nightmares possesses Lina's body to finish the BigBad herself.]]
-->'''Lina''' (as she's right about to cast the Giga Slav): "God damn it... If I cast this spell, the world will go to Hell... [[LampshadeHanging But I choose Gourry over all of this world!!]]"

* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' story arc ''ComicBook/{{Bizarrogirl}}'' Bizarro #1 needs help to fight Godship so he creates Bizarrogirl. Then he decides he can't risk her life and decides to take her to Earth, abandoning Bizarro World.
-->'''Bizarro:''' For all her perfections, we hate her, so me decide take her to Earth and live with public identities. Let godship eat Bizarro World.

* ''ComicBook/WarWorld'' played with this. Alien tyrant Mongul threatens to kill several friends of Franchise/{{Superman}} -- [[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]], [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]] and Steve Lombard -- if the Man of Steel does not bring him a key which would allow him to acquire Warworld, an immensely powerful weapon. Superman plays along, waiting for a chance to save his friends and thwart Mongul, even though ComicBook/MartianManhunter warns him that he is putting countless lives on the line for three people. Unfortunately Superman cannot trick Mongul and has to choose between giving the Key to the galactic despot and letting his friends die. He decides he cannot bring himself to hand over the key.

* ''ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}}'' is this way with ComicBook/{{Monet|StCroix}} in ''[[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2016 Uncanny X-Men]]''. They had two missions helping other mutants but he was mainly concerned with protecting her. He also showed loyalty toward her over their other teammates. He shows the same bias toward Holly Bright, another love interest in ''ComicBook/FirstXMen''.

* In the final issue of ''ComicBook/{{Wolverines}}'', it turns out that this was the secret plan of [[spoiler:ComicBook/{{Mystique}}]]. [[spoiler:When she learns that her girlfriend Destiny had actually manipulated her, and that she was supposed to revive ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} instead, she is ''livid'' and destroys the MacGuffin needed to draw Logan's soul back from the void, declaring that [[WhileRomeBurns she would rather watch the universe die than bring Logan back]], if that means she can't have her girlfriend back.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/WonderWoman2009'', [[spoiler:ComicBook/SteveTrevor saves Diana (a.k.a. Franchise/WonderWoman!) from certain death at the hands of ComicBook/{{Ares|DC}}, the God of War. She then slaps him, tells him she would rather have died and he saved the world, and sulks]].

** Sadistically subverted and deconstructed several times: ComicBook/TheVision, whose existence partially relies on the [[MacGuffin Mind Stone]] which is what ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and the Black Order is after, is told point blank by his {{Love Interest|s}} the ComicBook/ScarletWitch and his [[TrueCompanions teammates]] that they will not allow him to sacrifice himself by destroying the stone and attempt to TakeAThirdOption by safely removing the Mind Stone and then destroying it before Thanos can get his hands on it. [[spoiler:In the end, it's AllForNothing. The Black Order's army prevents the safe removal of the Mind Stone and Thanos arrives, forcing the Scarlet Witch to destroy the Mind Stone and the Vision with it. [[ShootTheShaggyDog And then Thanos reverses her sacrifice using the Time Stone]], kills Vision in front of her, and completes the Infinity Gauntlet, thus ending half of all life in the universe.]]
** Earlier, ComicBook/StarLord's {{Love Interest|s}} ComicBook/{{Gamora}} makes him promise to kill her should Thanos capture her. Peter is naturally reluctant[[spoiler:, but when the moment comes he manages to bring himself to shoot her, only for Thanos to use the Reality Stone to render his gun useless and takes Gamora with him. Gamora's survival is also temporary as Thanos later [[EquivalentExchange sacrifices her to obtain the Soul Stone]]]].

* There's the choice given in ''Film/SpiderMan1'' where Peter is forced to choose between Mary Jane's life and the lives of [[BusFullOfInnocents some children in a cable car]]. It appears for a moment as if he's chosen M.J., but actually he's [[TakeAThirdOption Taken a Third Option]].

** In ''Literature/GhostStory'' [[spoiler: Uriel calls attention to the consequences his actions in ''Changes'' have had for just one other person he cares about to point out that, basically, this trope is a really stupid approach, while Harry considers some of the [[EvilPowerVacuum global effects]] of his actions that he might have avoided if he'd been less reckless.]]

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': Played with in the third season finale. The BigBad is about to transform all of Europe into brainwashed monsters, which he would then use to conquer the world. [[spoiler:Daisy Johnson]] is immune to this transformation, but prepares to pull a HeroicSacrifice to save the world. [[MoreHeroThanThou Her boyfriend takes her place against her objections]], noting that he can't think of a better way to die than saving the world and the woman he loves at the same time.

* Given a few twists in ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "Comes the Inquisitor". [[spoiler: The Vorlons send the Inquisitor to see if Delenn has the right stuff to be one of {{the Chosen One}}s in the fight against the [[BigBad Shadows]]]]. At the end of the episode the Inquisitor [[spoiler:puts the life of her love interest on the line]], saying [[spoiler:that she can only save Captain Sheridan]] by giving up her fight against the Shadows. She chooses [[spoiler:to save Sheridan]]... and it turns out this is ''exactly'' what the Vorlons were looking for: [[spoiler:"How do you know the chosen ones? No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother. Not for millions. Not for glory, not for fame... For one person."]]

* ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'' has a subversion. The Evil Alien Computer put Buck through having to choose between Wilma Deering and Hawk (an alien from a ProudWarriorRace of birdmen). He chose Hawk because he guessed that Wilma was really a double, put in by the Evil Alien Computer, because the ''real'' Wilma Derring wouldn't have been such a wuss.

** Clark does this where Lana is concerned on more than one occasion. He generally does find a way to TakeAThirdOption. However, it comes to a head in "Requiem", where [[spoiler:ComicBook/LexLuthor posed a sadistic choice to Clark and the now-superpowered Lana: allow Lana to absorb the kryptonite radiation from a bomb and save the city but sacrifice their ability to be together, or let the city die in order to preserve their romance.]] Clark and Lana agonize over what to do, but ultimately they decide to do the heroic thing. The SadisticChoice involved -- and the evilly elegant way he OutGambitted Clark and Lana into putting themselves in this position in the first place -- marked this as perhaps ''the'' episode where [[spoiler:ComicBook/LexLuthor]] officially became the diabolical ManipulativeBastard and TheChessmaster we all know and love-to-hate in the comics.
** "Bride" and "Legion": [[spoiler:When Brainiac possesses Chloe's body, he/she/it proceeds to drain the world of its knowledge and readies Doomsday to destroy what is left. With great difficulty, Clark manages to save both Chloe and the world]].

--> '''Metatron:''' Ah. So [[spoiler:Gadreel bites the dust. And the angel tablet -- arguably the most powerful instrument in the history of the universe -- is in pieces]], and for what again? Oh, that's right -- to save Dean Winchester. That was your goal, right? I mean, you draped yourself in the flag of Heaven, but ultimately, it was about saving one human, right?

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Main hero Cloud Strife will often act indifferent but if there's a young woman in danger, he will rush to her rescue and the game will make the Cloud (the player) choose between ChildhoodSweetheart Tifa Lockhart and SmittenTeenageGirl Aerith as they both get in danger at certain points in the game and Cloud must come to the rescue and both of them have more than platonic feeling towards Cloud.[[spoiler: Unfortunately for players who were interested in Aerith, the BigBad Sephiroth comes in and ruins any hopes of romance with Aerith as she is ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice by him, those players who chose Tifa get a romantic scene between her and Cloud before the final battle.]]

* We get a RareMaleExample in ''VideoGame/Persona3'''s PlayableEpilogue, ''The Answer'', in which [[spoiler: Yukari, grief-stricken with the loss of the Main Character, who she is ''heavily implied'' to have fallen in love with, is willing to risk the destruction of the ''entire world'', if it gives her a chance to bring him BackFromTheDead]]. However, she does eventually get better.

* In ''VideoGame/SpiderManWebOfShadows'', Franchise/SpiderMan is given the choice of either turning ComicBook/BlackCat over to SHIELD after she's badly injured following her second boss fight, or bonding her with a symbiote to heal her.

* Invoked in the final case of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and [[spoiler: convict your client,]] even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. [[spoiler: Everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] but it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'' discusses this in the trope talk on Save the World. As Red points out, putting the life of a single loved one over the lives of thousands (or ''billions'') of innocents is objectively stupid and unjustifiable, but from an audience perspective, saving a single character we know is more reasonable than saving an anonymous mass of nobodies.

** A villainous example in "Deep Freeze"; ComicBook/MrFreeze encounters a crazed mogul, Grant Walker, who wants to use his technology to freeze the entire planet, killing everyone except those on his island. In exchange for his cooperation, Walker offers to revive Freeze's wife. Freeze is willing to go along with the plan until Batman points out that Nora would be waking up to a cold, dead world (and would blame Freeze for it), whereupon Freeze releases Batman and Robin and helps them defeat Walker.
** Another episode has Harley Quinn try to invoke this as a SadisticChoice, telling Batman he can either catch her, or save ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} from a ConveyorBeltOfDoom. Batman [[TakeAThirdOption pulls the factory's power switch]].

** In the animated movie ''Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix'', Ben willfully activates the Omnitrix to save Gwen, and when he is warned that doing so will speed up the destruction of the universe he answers, "I don't care!" Granted, Gwen is his cousin and not his {{Love Interest|s}}, but considering the KissingCousins subtext...

* In one ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode, Peter's reckless time-traveling lands him in an alternate reality in which Peter married Creator/MollyRingwald instead of Lois. UsefulNotes/AlGore is president; Cheney, UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden and Karl Rove are dead; people are healthier and living longer, the environment and economy are both in great shape, and America's generally a much happier place to be. And of course, Peter doesn't give two craps about the state of the world ("I don't know who any of those people are"); all he cares about is that he gets Lois in the end. (This is not even taking into account that Lois and Peter both HappilyMarried in this alternate universe.)

* While obviously not a {{Love Interest|s}}, the ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' animated series has Superman's DarkerAndEdgier clone from the future (further in the future than the setting of LOSH) protecting a boy who is being targeted by assassins. Turns out they're from the future, too. The boy will grow up to be largely responsible for the existence of BigBad Imperiex. It was to show how ruthless "Superman X" ''isn't'' anymore, when he decides the ends don't justify the means and chooses saving the kid over preventing Imperiex's rise.

* In one arc of the '90s' ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' series, time travelers kill the young ComicBook/ProfessorX, resulting in a [[BadFuture Bad Present]] where all mutants are constantly at war with the Sentinels... and the [[FutureBadass Future Even-More-Badass]] ComicBook/{{Storm}} and Wolverine are married. When ComicBook/{{Bishop}} comes from the future to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong, Wolverine initially refuses to help, somehow knowing that fixing the past would prevent him and Storm from getting together. When Bishop straight up asks if Wolverine is really willing to allow the devastating war to happen so he can be with Storm, Wolverine says yes without hesitation. After things are set right, there are hints that they both realize something happened, but nothing comes of it.

* ''ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}}'' is this way with ComicBook/{{Monet|StCroix}} in ''[[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2015 Uncanny X-Men]]''. They had two missions helping other mutants but he was mainly concerned with protecting her. He also showed loyalty toward her over their other teammates. He shows the same bias toward Holly Bright, another love interest in ''ComicBook/FirstXMen''.

** At the end of season 1, [[spoiler:Lelouch drops everything in the middle of the key battle and goes off to save his sister Nunnaly]], and again in season 2 when [[spoiler:Lelouch does the same thing when Kallen is captured,]] and this time someone even {{lampshade|Hanging}}s how it reeks of preferential treatment, and how absurd it is to choose one life over an entire country. Doesn't stop him from doing it anyway. However, ''Code Geass'' is somewhat of a subversion of the trope, since while Lelouch does choose the girl over everything else, in both cases [[spoiler:it backfires, causing him to suffer defeat, and lose the girl anyway]].

** When Roy is giving in to RevengeBeforeReason, Riza stops him from going too far by threatening to shoot him--as they agreed if he ever strayed from the path he had chosen. He asks her what she plans to do after she kills him, and she admits she's going to kill herself, [[DrivenToSuicide since there will be nothing left for her]]. ''That'' is what finally convinces him to step back.

** Sanji is especially protective over the ship's navigator and fellow pirate [[GoldDigger Nami]]. Her safety is a frequent cause of his own injuries, such as on Drum Island when Nami was gravely ill, and Sanji joined Luffy in taking her to the doctor's and got his spine cracked as a result of the avalanche caused by the Lapahns. In Skypeia when Sanji went aboard the Ark Maxim with Usopp to save her from Enel only to be blasted by the God for his heroics, and on Thiller Bark when Nami was kidnapped by the invisible Absalom to become his bride, Sanji went alone to rescue her and defend her honor and got knifed though his shoulder while protecting her.

* Averted in ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'' during the ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'' storyline. [[spoiler:Reed Richards chooses to confront Doctor Doom and save the world at large, abandoning his dying girlfriend, Sue. Eventually, she calls him out for it and breaks up with him. He explains that he made the "logical" choice, as saving the world would ultimately mean saving her as well. Sue remarks that she always felt that their love ''defied'' logic, and leaves him.]]

* ''ComicBook/WarWorld'' played with this. Alien tyrant Mongul threatens to kill several friends of Franchise/{{Superman}} -[[Characters/SupermanLoisLane Lois Lane]], [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]] and Steve Lombard- if the Man of Steel does not bring him a key which would allow him to acquire Warworld, an immensely powerful weapon. Superman plays along, waiting for a chance to save his friends and thwart Mongul, even though ComicBook/MartianManhunter warns him that he is putting countless lives on the line for three people. Unfortunately Superman cannot trick Mongul and has to choose between giving the Key to the galactic despot and letting his friends die. He decides he cannot bring himself to hand over the key.

* In the final issue of ''ComicBook/{{Wolverines}}'', it turns out that this was the secret plan of [[spoiler:ComicBook/{{Mystique}}]]. [[spoiler:When she learns that her girlfriend Destiny had actually manipulated her, and that she was supposed to revive ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} instead, she is ''livid'' and destroys the MacGuffin needed to draw Logan's soul back from the void, declaring that [[WhileRomeBurns she would rather watch the universe die than bring Logan back]], if that means she can't have her girlfriend back.]]

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' plays with this trope - while [[Literature/{{HarryPotter}} Harry]] has chivalrous instincts bred in the bone, he uses his head more and more as time goes by, and is less prone to doing something "very noble, and very, very stupid." However, it's made clear in the sequel that the one circumstance under which he'll willing cross his personal GodzillaThreshold is to resurrect Carol, with whom he has a relationship that blends [[VitriolicBestBuds snarky but undying friendship]] and CourtlyLove, if she ever died - though with the caveats that he'd first use the threat of it as {{Blackmail}} material, then if that failed, do it somewhere where there would be no collateral damage. Since this personal GodzillaThreshold means [[spoiler: becoming the Dark Phoenix]], even with the caveats, this revelation is quite reasonably greeted with horror.

* ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'': In the side-story "Let the World Burn / One Dream at a Time" Gendo explains he had tried to wipe humankind out, destroyed lives -including the ones of his son and the girls he loved- and got his hands stained with blood... because he had to free Yui. He loved her, he missed her, he blamed himself for her getting trapped inside Unit 01, and he had to set her free, not matter what.

* Jaune in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11518796/1/From-Beyond From Beyond]]'' takes it to rather [[ExaggeratedTrope extreme lengths]]. Not only will he do pretty much anything to save Blake - [[spoiler:getting an innocent man killed included]] - but he is also willing to [[spoiler:endanger his entire world by letting Cinder go and refusing to follow Ozpin]] so as not to make Blake unhappy. Even Jaune himself acknowledges how messed up that is.

* ''Film/BatmanForever'': Batman knows he wouldn't be able to save either the girl or Robin, then he goes and saves both anyway because he's just that good.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Anakin's character is a massive deconstruction of this trope. He adamantly refuses to give up on those he loves, even though the jedi preach non-attachement, and even when giving up is the healthiest thing to do. The loss of his mother is the first time he truly fails, which causes him to rage out and murder everyone within reach, and Obi-Wan only barely manages to convince him that they should prioritize capturing Dooku over going back to get Padmé. When he starts getting nightmares of his wife dying in childbirth, [[ManipulativeBastard Palpatine]] exploits this by offering a way to save her, but only if he embraces the dark side. Even Anakin's final betrayal of the Jedi reflects this trope, both since he needs Palpatine to save Padmé (or so he thinks), and because he wants to save the kind old man who was always there for him.
** ''Film/TheForceAwakens'': Finn lies about knowing how to stop the Starkiller Base in order to convince the Resistance to let him join the rescue of Rey.
--->'''Finn:''' I'm just here to get Rey.
* ''Film/TheMatrix'':
** ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'', in which Neo, faced with a choice between restarting the free human race with 7 other males and 16 females to rebuild Zion and returning to the Matrix (which the Architect says will result in the end of the free human population, and will crash the Matrix killing the non-free humans there) decides to return to the Matrix to save Trinity. At least, until ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions''...
** The Architect also pointed out that the previous "One's" loved humanity in a general sense, leading them to sacrifice most of the population for the sake of the species as a whole. Due to the Oracle's influence, Neo loved Trinity more than humanity, directly leading to humanity's freedom.
* There's the choice given in ''Film/SpiderMan1'' where Peter is forced to choose between Mary Jane's life and the lives of [[BusFullOfInnocents some children in a cable car]]. It appears for a moment as if he's chosen M.J., but actually he's [[TakeAThirdOption Taken a Third Option]].

* Parodied in ''Film/TheNakedGun 33 1/3''. Rocco tells Frank to give him the bomb or he'll shoot Jane. A long discussion about the possible consequences of each action, and which is preferable, ensues. It doesn't help that the terms keep changing.
* In ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', Indy offers to let the Nazis keep the Ark in exchange for Marion, threatening to destroy the Ark if they don't comply. Belloq calls his bluff (as an archaeologist, Indy can't bring himself to destroy the Ark, even to keep it out of the Nazis' hands) and Indy gets captured.
* The King in ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' sacrifices himself and the entire population of his home planet, just so the princess doesn't get her old nose back.
* Parodied in ''Film/{{Debs}}'', where the girl doesn't want to be saved as she's in a [[YuriGenre Girls' Love]] [[DatingCatwoman relationship with the villainess]].
* ''Film/AustinPowers The Spy Who Shagged Me'' is playing with a trope. First it is averted when Austin decides to save the world and let the GirlOfTheWeek die, [[spoiler:but later he goes back in time with Evil's [[TimeTravel time machine]] so that he can save the girl while his past self saves the world]].

* In ''Film/TheWolfman2010'', Gwen's actions [[spoiler: in protecting Lawrence from Aberline are understandable, but she is also putting the ''chance'' that he can be cured above the likelihood that he will kill again (and in fact Lawrence ''does'' end up infecting someone directly because of her.)]]
* Exploited in ''Film/PlunkettAndMacleane'' when despite [[spoiler: Plunkett's warnings he'll be captured, Macleane attempts to to go back and save Lady Rebbecca despite the risks. It is a trap and General Chance is waiting to arrest him]].
* In ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'', despite knowing the consequences of doing so, [[TheApprentice Dave]] [[spoiler: gives up the Grimhold and Merlin's ring]] to save Becky. Despite the consequences, Balthazar admits that he would have done the same.
%%* ''Film/ABoyAndHisDog'' [[spoiler: averts in the last ten minutes.]]
* ''Film/{{Predators}}'': Royce is a CombatPragmatist who doesn't hesitate to abandon any one of the team that gets injured or falls behind, unless it's [[TheChick lone female]] Isabelle. The fact that he shrugs and moves on any time she deliberately stays behind to help the others makes it seem more like a spinal reflex on his part than adherence to an honor code.

* In the [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3Ked]] film ''Film/TheMagicSword'', a young prince leads a band of knights on a quest to rescue his lady love. All the knights are killed along the way. At no point does anyone even mention that fact that several good men have died to save a single life and several more are likely to before the thing is done.

* Discussed in ''Film/CourageUnderFire'', which reflected a real-life shift in the U.S. military's attitudes toward women in combat. As noted under "Real Life" below, female soldiers themselves weren't a problem, but prior experience suggested that male colleagues would endanger themselves or the mission to protect the woman.
* In ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', this trope causes Columbus to change one of his Rules of Zombieland (Never [[DareToBeBadass Be A Hero]]) and face his greatest fear (a [[spoiler: MonsterClown]]) in order to save Wichita.

* Averted in ''Film/JackTheGiantSlayer''. Brahmwell decides to [[spoiler: cut down the beanstalk to save the kingdom, even if it means his daughter will be left trapped with the Giants]].
* {{Invoked|Trope}} in ''Film/ExMachina''. [[spoiler:Both Nathan and Ava separately work to see if Caleb will do this, manipulating him into considering Ava a princess in the tower who needs rescuing. And maybe she is, but the fact she's invoking the trope shows that she can be seen to be considerably less much innocent that her situation would imply.]]
* A rather dark aversion is revealed to be Spooner's FreudianExcuse in ''Film/IRobot''. [[spoiler:He and a young girl were in a three-way car accident and a passing robot jumped into the water to help. Spooner shouted for the robot to save the little girl instead, but the robot's simplistic programming told it that Spooner had a higher chance of survival since his car hadn't sunk as far, so it saved him and let the girl die. This is why Spooner distrusts robots; to him, a human would've known that saving a helpless child is more important than saving an adult that can possibly fend for themselves.]]
** Played with at the climax of the film: [[spoiler:Sonny is about to inject nanites into [[BigBag VIKI]] to destroy her, when Spooner order him to save Dr. Calvin, who's falling to her death. He even yells "Save her! Save the girl!", just to make the parallel with the above scene obvious. Sonny complies... but tosses the nanites to Spooner so he can finish off VIKI himself, thus saving the girl without sacrificing their main objective.]]
* ''Film/TheHungerGames'': Or rather, "Always Save the Boy with the Bread". Katniss Everdeen continuously prioritizes Peeta's survival over what's best for her own survival, the rebellion and her squad.
* In ''Film/DemolitionMan'' an old newsreel shows the result of Creator/SylvesterStallone's rescue mission:
--> '''Reporter''': "How do you justify destroying a seven million dollar mini-mall to rescue a girl when the ransom was only $25,000?"\\
'''Rescued Girl''': "Hey, fuck you, lady."\\
'''Stallone''': "Good answer."
* ''Film/CloudAtlas'': Hae-Joo and Sonmi have this trope going on.
* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'':
** Sadistically subverted and deconstructed several times: ComicBook/TheVision, whose existence partially relies on the [[MacGuffin Mind Stone]] which is what ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and the Black Order is after, is told point blank by his {{Love Interest|s}} the ComicBook/ScarletWitch and his [[TrueCompanions teammates]] that they will not allow him to sacrifice himself by destroying the stone and attempt to TakeAThirdOption by safely removing the Mind Stone and then destroying it before Thanos can get his hands on it. [[spoiler:In the end, it's AllForNothing. The Black Order's army prevents the safe removal of the Mind Stone and Thanos arrives, forcing the Scarlet Witch to destroy the Mind Stone and the Vision with it. [[ShootTheShaggyDog And then Thanos reverses her sacrifice using the Time Stone]], kills Vision in front of her, and completes the Infinity Gauntlet, thus ending half of all life in the universe.]]
** Earlier, ComicBook/StarLord's {{Love Interest|s}} ComicBook/{{Gamora}} makes him promise to kill her should Thanos capture her. Peter is naturally reluctant[[spoiler:, but when the moment comes he manages to bring himself to shoot her, only for Thanos to use the Reality Stone to render his gun useless and takes Gamora with him. Gamora's survival is also temporary as Thanos later [[EquivalentExchange sacrifices her to obtain the Soul Stone]]]].

* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'':
** [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in the series, where Athena accuses this of Percy: "You would give up the world to save your friends". Played straight, when Percy realizes this is his heroic flaw, and subverted when "It would seem you have managed to save both."
** It's come up again in the sequel series, ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'', where [[spoiler:Percy's fatal flaw will prevent him from making a hard choice, and Frank will have to force him for the sake of the world]].

* Defied in Donald Hamilton's ''Matt Helm'' novels. The hero's professional standards don't allow him to jeopardize the mission for "irrelevant females."
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse:
** Luke Skywalker is very protective of Mara Jade. [[ActionGirl Much to her annoyance.]] So much so that [[spoiler:when she dies, Luke actually considers suicide and Ben has to talk him out of it]].
** Apparently, Luke's overprotectiveness rubbed off on his student, Jacen Solo. It doesn't annoy his girl, Tenal Ka, as much.
* ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine''. Caine says it straight in ''Heroes Die'': "I'd burn the world to save her."

* From ''My Dead Body'', fifth book of the ''Literature/JoePittCaseFiles'', title AntiHero and [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampire]] Joe Pitt [[spoiler:[[BodyHorror goes through maiming torture]], [[DesperationAttack starves himself]] to the [[EleventhHourSuperPower point of death]], and starts a war between vampires, other vampires, and eventually [[BrokenMasquerade the human world]], just for a chance to save his girlfriend, who he hasn't seen for a year]].

** Defied in ''Deathly Hallows''. Harry worries about Ginny's safety while she's at a Hogwarts run by Death Eaters, but resists the urge to go find her because finding the last Horcruxes were more important - though not enough to send her the Marauder's Map, preferring to stare at her dot on the map rather than give her a tool to track said Death Eaters' movements so she could better resist them: Always Remotely Stalk The Girl?
* In Creator/DavidWeber and Creator/JohnRingo's ''Literature/PrinceRoger'' series, averted when [[spoiler: Nimashet Despreaux]] is kidnapped by mobsters. Roger leads the assault [[spoiler: on the Imperial Palace]] whilst some of his ex-SWAT allies rescue her. [[DownplayedTrope He needed some convincing to follow this course of action.]]
* In ''[[Literature/{{Nightside}} A Hard Day's Knight]]'', renegade knight Stark plans to hand Excalibur over to an evil incarnation of Merlin -- one who's already decimated his own world, and will invade Stark's if he gets the sword -- in exchange for the resurrection of his dead wife. [[spoiler: He eventually subverts this trope, but only because his wife's ghost calls him out on it, insisting that she'll kill herself again if he buys her life at such a price.]]
* In Creator/PoulAnderson's Literature/TimePatrol story "Delenda Est", Van Sarawak drags Deirdre along when Everard rescues him, without regard for what it does to the rescue.
* In ''Literature/WithinRuin'', Virgil epitomizes this trope to the point that the true reason behind the group's journey is [[spoiler:to collect enough souls to prolong Descarta's life. Even Descarta herself was originally a vessel for the soul of Virgil's first love Ankaa]]. Virgil went as far as to [[spoiler: learn untold dark magics, create a fake religion, and start a war to ensure there would be enough dead to provide all the souls he needed]] to this end. Virgil does more than just save the girl he [[spoiler: creates]] her.
* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' gives us Perrin, who diverts his mission to bring The Prophet back to Rand when Faile is kidnapped. When called out on this, he makes it quite clear that the rest of the world can ''burn'' if it gets his love back -- even when it looks like an actual, imminent possibility.
* In Robert B. Parker's ''Literature/{{Spenser}}'' novels, the title character frequently works as a bodyguard, and he's told clients to their face that if he has to choose between protecting them and protecting his long-time lover Susan Silverman, he'll choose Susan without blinking. Spenser's [[HeterosexualLifePartners blood brother]] Hawk feels the same way -- about the same woman. God help you if you're foolish enough to try to influence either of them by threatening Susan; it's a quick trip to the morgue. For that matter, Hawk will kill you for being a ''potential'' threat to Susan.

* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' series has a defiance in the last book. [[ActionGirl Eilonwy]] and Gurgi being separated from Taran's group of soldiers after a fight in the woods. While Taran is worried about their safety, he knows it's smarter to follow the advice of his men, who remind him that it's vital that they reach their destination in time and hope for the best for anyone missing. That Eilonwy and Gurgi have managed to pull themselves through scrapes before helped.

* An InvokedTrope in ''The Dark Crusader'' (a.k.a. ''The Black Shrike'') by Alistair [=MacLean=]. The BigBad threatens to shoot the prisoners one by one unless secret agent John Bentall helps his EvilPlan, but is just laughed at; Bentall wouldn't be a secret agent if he wasn't ruthless, right? However he baulks when his fellow agent Marie Hopeman is about to be shot, because he's fallen in love with her in the course of his mission. At the end of the novel, he confronts TheMole who first assigned him the mission, saying he assigned Marie to work with him for exactly this reason.
* In ''Literature/{{Below}}'', the instant Gareth reveals he's bringing Cirawyn on the quest to keep Brenish in line, Brenish tells him point blank that her safety comes before his own. This bites Gareth ''hard'' later on, and the rest of the quest with him—[[NiceJobBreakingItHero friend]] and foe alike.

** In season 2 episode 13, Matt finds that the Hand have kidnapped Karen and a bunch of other Daredevil survivors as a trap for him and Elektra. While they go to rescue the hostages, it's clear that Karen is his top priority and he can't help but stop to see that she's okay when he finds her.
** In season 3 episode 10, Matt has broken into Fisk's hotel room to wait for Fisk to come back from a meeting with some crime lords so he can kill him, but then finds out that Fisk has sent Dex to kill Karen, and has located her hiding at Matt's church. He has to choose between sticking to his plan and attempting to kill Fisk but likely losing Karen in the process, or leave to go rescue her and give up what will likely be his only chance to kill Fisk, since security will be increased after he leaves that will ensure he won't get another shot like this. He chooses to leave and go to rescue Karen.

** Perhaps learning from the above examples, the ''Twelfth'' Doctor loves Clara Oswald so much that, similarly to River, he is willing to take extreme risks to keep her safe. She's willing to do the same for him (and others) as well. This culminates in his efforts to save her from [[spoiler:her death — ''after it happens'' —]] at the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E12HellBent end]] of Series 9, and the outcome is that [[spoiler: he loses his memories of her and they are parted forever, both having realized that the extremes they go to for each other are just causing more problems for everyone]]. There is also an example of this earlier in the season in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E4BeforeTheFlood "Before the Flood"]] when, after being challenged about his actions, the Doctor outright says, "I'm a dead man walking. I'm changing history to save Clara." For a series that spent a ''half century'' repeatedly reminding the audience — and the Doctor! — that changing history is dangerous, reckless and must not be done, this is a huge deal (and also an example of OOCIsSeriousBusiness).

* Charlie of ''Series/{{Heroes}}''. In the first season Sylar kill her and [[spoiler: when Hiro save her, she is kidnapped by Samuel and left in the 1944]].

** Happens again in Season Three in which all the outlaws abandon a house that has caught on fire in order to rush off and save Kate. One can only assume the villagers were not too impressed.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' is a twisted-straight version. Heroes are more concerned with their {{Heterosexual Life Partner|s}} than with any LoveInterests. Especially the moment in "All Hell Breaks Loose" where the hellgate opens: Sam, Ellen and Bobby try and shut it; Dean gets pinned to a grave by the Yellow-Eyed Demon, and Sam immediately goes to save his brother, leaving Ellen (who is a woman, but not a {{Love Interest|s}}) to try and shut one door by herself. Also of particular note is the end of season 10: Sam is going to extreme lengths to cure Dean of the Mark of Cain, leading to not only [[spoiler: Charlie's]] death but the release of the Darkness; meanwhile, Dean is talking to Death to try to make things safe on Earth by making sure he and the Mark are contained, but when Death commands him to ''kill Sam'' to make sure it will stick, he ''kills Death instead''. Between the two, they choose each other, and the Darkness still gets released.

--> '''Metatron:''' Ah. So [[spoiler:Gadreel bites the dust. And the angel tablet - arguably the most powerful instrument in the history of the universe - is in pieces]], and for what again? Oh, that's right - to save Dean Winchester. That was your goal, right? I mean, you draped yourself in the flag of Heaven, but ultimately, it was about saving one human, right?

* In ''[[VideoGame/ArmoredCore Armored Core 4]]'', this is Gender-swapped, [[MissionControl Fiona Jarnefeldt]] is hinted at being in love with the PlayerCharacter- but this is made clear if you're doing poorly on a particular mission on Hard Mode-- the enemy has sent forces to destroy the city that you're trying to protect, and you can't use your radioactive [[DeflectorShields Primal Armor]], or you'll risk harming the innocent civilians of the city... if your [[HitPoints AP]] falls below 25%, she'll choose to save you instead, and activate your Primal Armor anyways.

* ''VideoGame/DotHackGU'' has this as a central theme in the story. AntiHero Haseo makes it clear right [[EstablishingCharacterMoment from the beginning]] that he intends to revive his comatose girlfriend Shino and doesn't care what he has to destroy in the process. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero This causes a LOT of problems]], though [[WhatTheHellHero Haseo mostly doesn't care]]... [[CharacterDevelopment at first]]. Haseo's own character arc is, briefly put, his learning that although [[{{Reconstruction}} saving Shino is still important]] his friends and the other players matter too. [[spoiler: [[AllLoveIsUnrequited Ironically, not only did Shino]] [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend see him as]] JustFriends, [[MultipleEndings he probably doesn't even end up with her anyway]].]]

** Playing a [[spoiler: male Sith Warrior or a female Bounty Hunter]] in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic''? Yeah. The game springs this on you in ''Knights of the Eternal Throne.'' [[spoiler: You can save Vette or Torian - not both. Vaylin will kill the one you don't save. Yes, you can save the love interest, but you can also sacrifice them. The game accounts for both with special dialogue options.]]

** ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'': [[spoiler: Leon]] chose this rather than the party members and the general state of the world. [[spoiler: It gets him branded as a traitor, killed, and Marian to attempt (but failing) suicide.]] He doesn't even succeed- The party finally rescues her in the end.

* In ''VisualNovel/AoiShiro'', this is treated as the right way to go, always. The few times Syouko can take the decision to not save Yasumi or Nami and she does (which she notes how it's out-of-character for her), things always end badly.
* ''VisualNovel/ChaosHead'':
** Takumi could have let Norose use Noah II to greatly improve the world but he saved Rimi instead. Of course, that's assuming the psychopathic Norose would use the Noah II as he claimed he would.
** Much of the story of the sequel, ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' revolves around saving [[spoiler: Mayuri]] from her fated death. The True Ending changes the girl that needs to be saved to [[spoiler: Kurisu]]. Saving the world from SERN's Dystopia[[spoiler:/World War III]] just happens to be a bonus.

* By the end of the third day in ''VisualNovel/SweetFuseAtYourSide'', [[spoiler:Urabe]] makes up his mind to do ''whatever it takes'' to keep Saki safe... even if it means bargaining with Count Hogstein, keeping Saki locked up for the final three days of games, forcing the rest of their companions to unwittingly kill him and putting everyone else's live in danger, including the lives of their friends and Saki's uncle.
* Invoked in the final case of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and [[spoiler: convict your client,]] even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. [[spoiler: Everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] but it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.
* In ''VisualNovel/YoJinBo'', the guys often mention how they are MoreExpendableThanYou and are willing to sacrifice as many of their own lives as are necessary to save yours. Sayori, of course, is less than pleased with this.

* ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'' discusses this in the trope talk on Save the World. As Red points out, putting the life of a single loved one over the lives of thousands (or ''billions'') of innocents is objectively stupid and unjustifiable, but from an audience perspective, saving a single character we know is more reasonable than saving an anonymous mass of nobodies.

* ''Webcomic/FriendshipIsDragons'': In the Discord arc, Rainbow Dash is given a choice between her friends and saving Cloudsdale. Unlike in [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic the show]], she never turns on her friends. However, Applejack's player steps out of character in order to [[WhatTheHellHero tear into Dash]] for making this choice ''way'' too quickly.
-->'''Applejack:''' The correct answer to a hostage-taking is NEVER "''Just burn it down; I don't care!''" Ah know you'd rather punch things than let yerself get yanked around, but you gotta look fer more options! You can stall. You can negotiate. You can run a game of your own. Ya don't just blow it all up!\\
'''Fluttershy:''' No to mention, that choice plays right into Discord's hand by creating... ''this'' situation...\\
'''Rainbow Dash:''' [[SadisticChoice It was an arbitrary, binary challenge designed by an all-powerful god]]. Refusing to play [[NoFairCheating might've been seen as breaking Rule 2]]. There was no guarantee something wouldn't happen to Cloudsdale LATER. The choice ''I'' made was meaningless!

* ''Podcast/RedPandaAdventures'':
** The Red Panda is a true, dyed-in-the-wool superhero. He adheres to ThouShaltNotKill and works tirelessly for the betterment of those under his protection. However, it is consistently shown that he will discard all of that the moment any threat to the Flying Squirrel's safety presents itself. In "The Devil's Due", the Red Panda seriously considers killing villain of the week Nick Diablos when he repeatedly hypnotizes the Flying Squirrel to either attack him or torture her. By battle's end, he possibly does even worse than kill Diablos, as the Red Panda delivers unto Nick Diablos the fate he reserved for his own victims: a catatonic state in which he'll experience his greatest fears forever.
** In "The World Next Door", {{Alternate Time|line}} Traveler Baboon [=McSmoothie=] needs to steal the prototype of a device its Nazi scientist creator will eventually use to wreak havoc during World War II, and tries to recruit the Red Panda's aid in doing so. Even after the Red Panda is convinced of [=McSmoothie's=] story, he refuses to assist the commission of a crime against someone who, at that moment, is innocent of any wrongdoing and may never be guilty of such. It's then that [=McSmoothie=] reveals that ''his'' Red Panda expected this and prepared accordingly. That Red Panda had a sidekick called the Flying Squirrel, too. That Flying Squirrel was killed in a deathtrap meant for the other Red Panda, and [=McSmoothie=] offers the full case file on the VillainTeamUp that will launch the attack so that it might be prevented from happening to this universe's Flying Squirrel. The Red Panda accepts, even knowing that due to the vast differences between his timeline and [=McSmoothie's=] the case file may well be worthless.
** In "The Field Trip", that once innocent of any wrongdoing Nazi scientist Professor Friedrich von Schlitz has become a proper member of the Red Panda's RoguesGallery, and shoots the Flying Squirrel in the process of getting away. The Flying Squirrel is fine, due to having protection against the type of weapon von Schlitz used, but the Red Panda doesn't let the matter go so easily, later noting that von Schlitz didn't know that and had every intention of killing one of them. The very next episode opens with an assassination attempt on von Schlitz orchestrated the Red Panda.

* Gender switch variation in the season one finale of ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed''. When Lexi fails to save Ace and Rev, she gives a surprisingly emotional speech, more or less ''solely'' directed at Ace, leading to a slightly awkward moment when he and Rev [[DisneyDeath turn out fine]].

[[/folder]]

* Jaune in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11518796/1/From-Beyond From Beyond]]'' takes it to rather [[ExaggeratedTrope extreme lenghts]]. Not only will he do pretty much anything to save Blake - [[spoiler:getting an innocent man killed included]] - but he is also willing to [[spoiler:endanger his entire world by letting Cinder go and refusing to follow Ozpin]] so as not to make Blake unhappy. Even Jaune himself acknowledges how messed up that is.

** Another episode has Harley Quinn try to invoke this as a SadisticChoice, telling Batman he can either catch her, or save ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} from a ConveyorBeltODoom. Batman [[TakeAThirdOption pulls the factory's power switch]].

** Justified, on the other hand, in the sequel ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'' when villain [[FallenHero Captain Nemesis]] attempts to pull out a SadisticChoice using Ben's girlfriend Julie and another girl everyone thought he is dating. Ben ''does'' save Julie without hesitation... but it turns out he was smart enough to have his friends come with him and save the other girl.

* Like in the original films, this is Anakin's FatalFlaw in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars''. He will always put his friends' lives ahead of anything else, and is willing to do anything to save those he cares about, wether that be his friends in the 501st, his spunky padawan, his beloved wife... or the kind old man who always gave him advice when he needed it.
[[/folder]]
----

* ''ComicBook/WarWorld'' played with this. Alien tyrant Mongul threatens to kill several friends of Franchise/{{Superman}} -ComicBook/LoisLane, ComicBook/JimmyOlsen and Steve Lombard- if the Man of Steel does not bring him a key which would allow him to acquire Warworld, an immensely powerful weapon. Superman plays along, waiting for a chance to save his friends and thwart Mongul, even though ComicBook/MartianManhunter warns him that he is putting countless lives on the line for three people. Unfortunately Superman cannot trick Mongul and has to choose between giving the Key to the galactic despot and letting his friends die. He decides he cannot bring himself to hand over the key.

** ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' plays with the trope. Anakin finally accepts continuing the more important mission while Padmé seems to be hurt, but it turns out she isn't even injured in any significant way.
** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''. Anakin Skywalker turns to the DarkSide, kills off all the Jedi, and turns a Republic into an Empire to save the life of his wife Padme Amidala. He loses his temper, chokes her, and she dies anyway soon afterwards.

* The BigBad of Arc One in ''VideoGame/Wizard101'' is Malistaire, who used to be the professor of the Death school of magic before his wife Sylvia, who was the professor of the Life school, passed away from an incurable illness. He was selfless, highly skilled in his school of magic, and deeply admired across the Spiral, but he [[ExcessiveMourning went off the deep end soon after she died]] and went on a mission to bring her back by any means necessary, enacting a plot to steal a book of powerful magic in order to awaken the Dragon Titan, who had the power to bring back the dead. In the process, he's left multiple worlds across the Spiral in violent chaos, which you'll now have to traverse and repair to eventually get to him and stop his plan, because the Dragon Titan is extremely dangerous and will quickly lay waste to the land again if awoken.

* The BigBad of Arc One in ''VideoGame/Wizard101'' is Malistaire, who used to be the professor of the Death school of magic before his wife Sylvia, who was the professor of the Life school, passed away from illness. He was selfless, highly skilled in his school of magic, and deeply admired across the Spiral, but he [[ExcessiveMourning went off the deep end soon after she died]] and went on a mission to bring her back by any means necessary, enacting a plot to steal a book of powerful magic in order to awaken the Dragon Titan, who had the power to bring back the dead. In the process, he's left multiple worlds across the Spiral in violent chaos, which you'll now have to traverse and repair to eventually get to him and stop his plan, because the Dragon Titan is extremely dangerous and will quickly lay waste to the land again if awoken.

* In the final issue of ''ComicBook/{{Wolverines}}'', it turns out that this was the secret plan of [[spoiler:ComicBook/{{Mystique}}]]. [[spoiler:When she learns that her girlfriend Destiny had actually manipulated her, and that she was supposed to revive Franchise/{{Wolverine}} instead, she is ''livid'' and destroys the MacGuffin needed to draw Logan's soul back from the void, declaring that [[WhileRomeBurns she would rather watch the universe die than bring Logan back]], if that means she can't have her girlfriend back.]]

** The Joker is ''counting'' on this in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', as he [[spoiler:tells Batman the two hostages' locations backwards to ensure that he saves Dent even though he wanted to save the girl]].

** Mikasa is like this i
I was recently approved for initiation into ODK, an honor I am extremely gracious and happy to receive. I just had a question about the ceremony. I will be in class when the ceremony starts (and for some time afterwards as well) and it's not a class I'm able to miss or leave early, so I wanted to inquire as to whether or not I would face any kind of penalty or reprimand if I'm not able to attend due to this conflict. I can send you a copy of the oath and my signature for it if it pleases you. Thank you again for this prestigious honn regards to Eren, who [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe saved her from her parents' killers, killed them and then gave her a place to call home]]. She was willing to take on the entire military to protect him, and when [[spoiler:Ymir supposedly joins the Titans trying to kidnap Eren, and Krista tries to protect her, Mikasa was willing to cut through Ymir and Krista if it would save Eren]]. She gets called out on this sometimes, most notably by Jean.

** Mikasa is like this in regards to Eren, who [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe saved her from her parents' killers, killed them and then gave her a place to call home]]. She was willing to take on the entire military to protect him, and when [[spoiler:Ymir supposedly joins the Titans trying to kidnap Eren, and Krista tries to protect her, Mikasa was willing to cut through Ymir and Krista if it would save Eren]]. She gets called out on this sometimes, most notably by Jean.

* Invoked in the final case of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and [[spoiler: convict your client,]] even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. [[spoiler: Everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] but the it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in the final case of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life. Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in the final case of ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. [[spoiler: Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when Phoenix's longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails him (you) into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, being the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. [[spoiler: Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya,]] it all serves to make you reflect on ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', when your longtime assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails you into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, beng the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya, it all serves to make you reflecton ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', your assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails you into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, beng the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] Even though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya, it all serves to make you reflecton ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', your assistant Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails you into getting your new client off the hook ''no matter what'' and only giving you ''one day in court'' to get it done, whereas you would normally get three. High-stakes and very difficult, but by this point, beng the third game with Maya having been by your side, she's very dear to both Phoenix and the player, so you're willing to go all out to get her back, but the situation changes when you found out that [[spoiler: your client, for the first time ever, actually ''is'' guilty, and in order to get him off, you would have to accuse an innocent woman and get her thrown in jail for the rest of her life.]] EVen though Maya's life is on the line, she very much wants Phoenix to disregard this trope completely and convict your client, even though it means that she would die, but depending on how low you're willing to go to help her, that might not deter you very much. Although everything turns out okay in the end, regardless of whether or not you want to throw an innocent person under the bus to save Maya, it all serves to make you reflecton ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Invoked in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Justice for All]]'', your sidekick Maya is kidnapped by an assassin who blackmails you into defending an apparent killer in a court. As the game's system goes, getting "Not Guilty" verdict in this case involves accusing someone innocent into the murder. Being Phoenix Wright's stand-in, you can choose to go all the way for this trope. Though everything turns out okay in the end regardless of what you're doing, your choices become a reminder of ''your'' morality toward the situation.

* Matsuri of ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' is generally [[TheNeedsOfTheMany altruistic]] and self-sacrificing in his duties as an [[HunterOfMonsters exorcist ninja]], but protecting his ChildhoodFriend Suzu is his absolute ''highest'' priority, and why he took the job in the first place. He's initially determined to exorcise Shirogane, even though that would make the [[GenderBenderAngst undesired magic sex change]] Shirogane inflicted upon him permanent, to eliminate a potential threat to humanity. When ''Suzu'' objects to Matsuri sacrificing himself, he reluctantly complies and lets Shirogane live.

* ''LightNovel/TheHeroIsOverpoweredButOverlyCautious'': Seiya was {{summon|Everymanhero}}ed to Gaeabrande to save it from demons. While he's very dedicated to preparing and training as much as possible to ensure his success, he'll still prioritize saving his friends over the world, [[spoiler:as shown when he refuses to sacrifice Elulu to gain the only weapon that can kill the Demon Lord.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/WonderWoman2009'', [[spoiler:Steve Trevor saves Diana (a.k.a. Wonder Woman!) from certain death at the hands of Ares, the God of War. She then slaps him, tells him she would rather have died and he saved the world, and sulks]].

* Parodied in ''Film/{{Debs}}'', where the girl doesn't want to be saved as she's in a GirlsLove [[DatingCatwoman relationship with the villainess]].

* Sadistically subverted and deconstructed several times in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'': the Vision, whose existence partially relies on the [[MacGuffin Mind Stone]] which is what ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and the Black Order is after, is told point blank by his {{Love Interest|s}} the ComicBook/ScarletWitch and his [[TrueCompanions teammates]] that they will not allow him to sacrifice himself by destroying the stone and attempt to TakeAThirdOption by safely removing the Mind Stone and then destroying it before Thanos can get his hands on it. [[spoiler:In the end, it's AllForNothing. The Black Order's army prevents the safe removal of the Mind Stone and Thanos arrives, forcing the Scarlet Witch to destroy the Mind Stone and the Vision with it. [[ShootTheShaggyDog And then Thanos reverses her sacrifice using the Time Stone]], kills Vision in front of her, and completes the Infinity Gauntlet, thus ending half of all life in the universe.]]

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': in "[[Recap/AngelS05E15AHoleInTheWorld A Hole in the Wolrd]]", Angel nearly makes this choice when he learns that the only way to save Fred is to let hundreds of thousands of people die in her place. He initially spits out an angry "to hell with the world" and storms off to perform the ritual as the scene cuts away. When it returns, though, he's still standing at the threshold, unable to actually go through with it, and he finally, sadly turns away.

* ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'' has a subversion. The Evil Alien Computer put Buck through having to choose between Wilma Deering and Hawk (an alien from a Proud Warrior Race of birdmen). He chose Hawk because he guessed that Wilma was really a double, put in by the Evil Alien Computer, because the ''real'' Wilma Derring wouldn't have been such a wuss.

** "Bride" and "Legion": [[spoiler:When Brainiac possesses Chloe's body, he/she/it proceeds to drain the world of its knowledge and readies Doomsday to destroy what is left. With great difficulty, Clark manages to save both Chloe and the worldd.

** Castiel is willying to go against Heaven and Hell in order to save Dean, rebelling against his own kind in order to protect him, every time he's told to choose between his fellow angels and Dean, he chooses Dean. And he gets called out on it, repeatedly, by various characters.

** This isn't even a thought for Mulder in terms of Scully; he seems to do it on pure instinct. Mulder is so predictable when his partner is taken, that the villains of the story exploit it. In the 1998 movie ''Fight the Future'', one of Syndicate suggests that instead of killing Mulder, they must "Take away what he holds most valuable. That with which he can't live without." with the next scene showing Scully staring off into the horizon. True to form, Mulder doesn't hesitate to save her, even when it includes going to Antartica and breaking into a top-secret space craft.

* We get a RareMaleExample in ''VideoGame/Persona3'''s PlayableEpilogue, ''The Answer'', in which [[spoiler: Yukari, grief-stricken with the loss of the Main Character, who she is ''heavily implied'' to have fallen in love with, is willing to risk the destruction of the ''entire world'', if it gives her a chance to bring him BackFromTheDead]]. However, she does eventually get better.
* In ''VideoGame/SpiderManWebOfShadows'', Franchise/SpiderMan is given the choice of either turning ComicBook/BlackCat over to SHIELD after she's badly injured following her second boss fight, or bonding her with a symbiote to heal her.

* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'': [[spoiler: Leon]] chose this rather than the party members and the general state of the world. [[spoiler: It gets him branded as a traitor, killed, and Marian to attempt (but failing) suicide.]] He doesn't even succeed- The party finally rescues her in the end.
** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny2'', Kyle is leaning towards this decision when [[spoiler: he learns that Reala will be erased from existence]] if he kills Fortuna, but [[spoiler: Reala]] slaps him out of it and gives him a WhatTheHellHero speech setting him straight. [[spoiler: Judas]] also knows he will be a victim of this, [[spoiler: but doesn't tell the party until he's fading away to make their decision easier]].
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'':
*** In one of the more poignant scenes, it is established that Colette will have to sacrifice her life and become an angel to save their world. Lloyd doesn't like this, and is just barely convinced by everyone, ''including her'', that this is for the best. After several plot twists and a BossRush, Lloyd and party run off with Colette after all. And if that wasn't enough of a double subversion, Lloyd argues in a skit that because he was willing to sacrifice Colette for the sake of the entire world, he's a horrible person.
*** The incident in which [[spoiler:Governor-General Dorr]] cooperated with the Desians to get a cure for his mutated wife, resulting in many people being taken to the human ranches and used to harvest Exspheres. Lloyd [[WhatTheHellHero gets angry at this]], telling him that he's endangering many other people to save his own loved one, and ultimately [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech saying that if he actually cared, he would have given up his position to get help for his wife]], but Colette calms him down by telling him that not everyone is strong enough to resist the Desians. It's implied that Lloyd has, in the course of the above incident, realized what it's like to make a decision like this, especially when the choice that's ostensibly for the world's benefit won't necessarily be the best thing in practice.
* Taken to a literal extreme in the ending of ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008'', where [[spoiler:the Prince releases the very same god of darkness he just sealed in order to revive his female sidekick Elika -- who was ''the person he was helping to seal that god in the first place'']]. Not only that, but the whole reason they were doing anything to begin with is that [[spoiler:he was not the first person to do that]]. Nearly every line the Prince says in the [[DownloadableContent Epilogue]] is him trying to justify what he did. As well as the above, he says that Elika's powers have grown, and if Ahriman didn't think she was a threat why is he pursuing them? The Ahura had been beaten before they rallied and sealed him away; if they could just repeat that somehow... For most of the epilogue, Elika doesn't listen, but at the end she leaves the Prince, saying she can't do it alone -- she has to find her people.
* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'':
** The ending has Elise debating whether or not to destroy the time-destroying evil sun god Solaris if it means she'll never meet Sonic, who thankfully assures her that the world's more important.
** There's also a gender-inverted example earlier in the game with Amy, following Silver's attempt at killing Sonic:
--->'''Amy:''' If I had to choose between the world and Sonic, ''I would choose Sonic!''
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': This has become standard procedure for Leon after he believed Ada to have died in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2''. His current [=VA=], Creator/MatthewMercer, actually commented on it in an interview:
-->'''Matt Mercer:''' Even if a situation seems very dangerous and stupid and a total trap, if there’s a woman who needs help he can’t turn that down [...] And in the end of it he’ll feel better about himself knowing he went through the motions on the off chance whoever it was really needed help.

* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'':
** If Sly's [[DatingCatwoman love interest]] Carmelita is in danger, he will risk life and limb to save her even if he knows full well that he's headed into a trap; several of his enemies have used this to their advantage.
** Same with Bentley towards his love interest Penelope. [[spoiler:At least until he found out she was evil, which caused him to turn his back on her.]]
* ''VideoGame/InFamous'' outright averts this when offered a sadistic choice by the villain to save Trish or a building full of doctors. Saving the girl is the evil choice to make and sacrificing her for the good of the many is the good one. Not only that, [[spoiler:there's literally [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption NO WAY to save her]] -- you go to save her, she's a decoy and the real Trish is among the doctors. You save the doctors, she's the real Trish]].
* ''VideoGame/TheDig''. When [[spoiler:Maggie Robbins dies]] towards the end of the game, Boston Low can [[spoiler:resurrect her using the crystals]] against good sense, and breaking his promise to her. If he chooses to do this, she will [[spoiler: commit suicide, die again and hate your guts forever]]. At the end of the game, the [[spoiler: Cocytans will resurrect her and Brink]], and her attitude towards you will depend on your choice.

* In ''[[VideoGame/ArmoredCore Armored Core 4]]'', this is Gender-swapped, [[MissionControl Fiona Jarnefeldt]] is hinted at being in love with the PlayerCharacter- but this is made clear if you're doing poorly on a particular mission on Hard Mode-- the enemy has sent forces to destroy the city that you're trying to protect, and you can't use your radioactive [[DeflectorShields Primal Armor]], or you'll risk harming the innocent civilians of the city... if your [[HitPoints AP]] falls below 25%, she'll choose to save you instead, and activate your Primal Armor anyways.
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', the flirtatious but practical harlequin, Harle, can ask the player character which he would choose: the world or her. If he chooses her, she is visibly affected and thanks him for saying so, even if it's only a kind lie.
* ''VideoGame/LostMagic'' has one of the most obnoxious examples of this. [[spoiler:The BigBad asks the character to hand over the {{MacGuffin}}s or else she'll kill the girl. If the player refuses, the girl disappears and the hero goes mad over her loss, gets brainwashed by the BigBad, starts working for her, and hands over all the {{MacGuffin}}s he had, all by the end of the next cutscene. The player then has to go around killing people and doing the BigBad's bidding.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'':
** Starkiller disobeys a direct order from his master, Darth Vader, and rescues Juno Eclipse from The Empirical.
--->'''Juno:''' I've been branded a traitor to TheEmpire. I can't go anywhere, do anything.\\
'''Starkiller:''' I don't care about any of that. I'm leaving TheEmpire behind.
** In ''The Force Unleashed II'', Starkiller is called out several times by Rahm Kota about how he doesn't care about the war between TheEmpire and the Rebel Alliance and just wants to rescue Juno.
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
** If [[spoiler:a female Warden romanced Alistair, he chooses to deliver the final blow to the Archdemon, killing himself in the process because he won't let the woman he loves die. And no, he can't be persuaded out of his decision. It can be avoided in multiple ways, like [[TakeAThirdOption accepting the deal]] that Morrigan offers near the end of the game, or simply leaving him behind when you go to confront the Archdemon]].
** The sequel lets your ''PlayerCharacter'' do this, if you romance [[spoiler: Anders. You can let him live after he blows up the Chantry... despite all the fallout that comes with the decision, such as Sebastian swearing vengeance]].
* It's very easy to see this in ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'', as Jim Raynor's internal conflict about what to do about the controlled/infested Kerrigan is obvious, and thus even though the Queen of Blades "murdered 8 billion people" as Raynor says himself, he is still haunted by the prospect of getting her old self back. [[spoiler:That is, until Raynor's Raiders and the Moebius Foundation manage to use a Xel'nagan artifact to cure Kerrigan, and infestation is normally 100% incurable because it "mutates too fast".]]
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1'' gives us Felix's big EstablishingCharacterMoment at Venus Lighthouse: standing up to the endbosses over Sheba (''at Level 5!''), then ''jumping off the top of the Lighthouse'' to save her when she falls off, endangering himself [[spoiler: and the mission to restore Alchemy to the world]] twice for the sake of some girl he implicitly just met.
** {{Discussed|Trope}} in the sequel, ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn''. The protagonists break into Belinsk Castle to rescue the pirate Eoleo and the princess Hou Ju. If you try to rescue Eoleo first, a random NPC will interrupt you and ask whether it's customary to rescue the princess first in your culture. If you still continue on, [[ButThouMust Ryu Kou will interrupt you a little more forcefully.]]
* ''VideoGame/DotHackGU'' has this as a central theme in the story. AntiHero Haseo makes it clear right [[EstablishingCharacterMoment from the beginning]] that he intends to revive his comatose girlfriend Shino and doesn't care what he has to destroy in the process. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero This causes a LOT of problems]], though [[WhatTheHellHero Haseo mostly doesn't care]]... [[CharacterDevelopment at first]]. Haseo's own character arc is, briefly put, his learning that although [[{{Reconstruction}} saving Shino is still important]] his friends and the other players matter too. [[spoiler: [[AllLoveIsUnrequited Ironically, not only did Shino]] [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend see him as]] JustFriends, [[MultipleEndings he probably doesn't even end up with her anyway]].]]

* In ''VideoGame/FableIII'', at the beginning of the story you can choose between saving your childhood friend and/or lover, or saving a group of protesters who are dissatisfied with your older brother's regime. To make things worse if you're considering choosing the former, your childhood friend will practically beg you to choose him/her, while the protesters will grovel for their lives as you make your decision.
* In ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' video game, most players choose [[spoiler:to save Carley over Doug]], not that it matters much since [[spoiler:the person you save ends up dying Episode 3 regardless of who it is]]. It's also averted in Episode 3, where most players choose to save [[spoiler:the injured Omid over his ActionGirlfriend Christa]]. In a subversion, however, [[spoiler:the person you don't save will manage to catch up. The person you ''do'' save will berate you for saving them over the other, however, and both have very good reasons: Christa will berate you for saving her over her injured boyfriend. Omid will berate for reasons that are implied, but not explicitly revealed until Episode 5: While Christa is uninjured, she's also ''pregnant'']].

* ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'': You have to make this choice at the end of the last mission. You can either let Killbane escape and save Shaundi (and Viola and Burt Reynolds), or go after Killbane and condemn Shaundi (and the others) to die. The sequel makes the former choice canon, making it this trope. The game actually starts playing Bonnie Tyler's "I Need A Hero" when the choice comes up. It seems like the devs really wanted you to save her.
* An interesting variation in ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'': the rescue-ee isn't a love interest, but a family member, and the rescuer is [[spoiler:the BigBad. He figures that if either he or his nephew [[TargetedHumanSacrifice has to die to postpone the end of the world]], then the world is so screwed up that it doesn't ''deserve'' to be saved. He resorted to borderline MindRape to avoid his nephew calling him on it]].
* Allegretto in ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'', more so in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 UpdatedRerelease.
-->'''Allegretto:''' (''to Frederic Chopin, [=PS3=] version'') Why did Polka, of all people, have to suffer like that? What the hell is wrong with this world!? Damn it! You! You come barging into our world out of nowhere, then just leave when you get tired of it! This is supposed to be your dream, right?! Well then, why couldn't you do anything!? No. That's not it. It isn't a dream at all. It's real. And I don't know what, but I have to do something!
* ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'' has Max potentially be of this mindset with the series finale. [[spoiler: You have to choose between saving Chloe or saving Arcadia Bay: rewind to the day you watched her die and let Nathan kill her, or destroy the photo and watch Arcadia Bay be destroyed.]]
* The postgame of ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' has this where [[spoiler: the player finds Mew asleep at the end of Purifying Cave. However, when Mew is approached, who should stop the player but Nuzleaf and the Beheeyem. They tell the player to stay back, as Mew is said to have some parts of Dark Matter left. As Mew glows, the player questions if they accept this... And that is when the player outright '''refuses''' to accept Mew's fate; the player does not want to say goodbye for the second time, and the player just does not care a bit if they bring back Dark Matter by bringing the partner back because the player can just fight it again. Then, the scarves the player and partner have are sacrificed to bring the partner back, and Mew tells the player that it is because of the player's wish that the partner came back. It turns out to be a setup masterminded by Ampharos to lure the player into the Purifying Cave to bring the partner back, and Nuzleaf and the Beheeyem got the chance to redeem themselves and succeeded]].
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', [[spoiler:[[PlayerCharacter the Avatar]] is given the choice of whether to give up their existence to end the BigBad once and for all, or to let Chrom deal the final blow and put it to sleep for 1,000 years. Chrom instantly objects to the former, and if the player chooses the latter option during the final battle, Chrom will insist it was the right thing to do because the Avatar's life is precious to him and the others. If the Avatar is female and married to Chrom, this ending feels a lot like this trope]].
** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Radiant Dawn]]'', Soren's death quote implies this regarding [[LivingEmotionalCrutch Ike]]:
--->"Ike… Please live… Even if all the cities burn, and the seas swallow Tellius… You mustn’t die… Not you…"

* In the ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' reboot, it's revealed that [[EvilINC Ultratech]] was founded by a man named Ryat Adams. Most of his research, including the creation of ARIA, was dedicated to trying to save his wife from disease. Tragically this failed, and ARIA took over the company after his own demise.
* ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'': Joel has spent an entire year escorting Ellie, a girl who is immune to the Cordyceps infection that has destroyed most of humanity, to a militia group known as the Fireflies, who need her to create a cure. However, once the Fireflies find them after they nearly drown, Joel learns that the process of producing the vaccine will kill Ellie. [[spoiler:Joel has grown too attached to Ellie to let her go, essentially seeing her as a replacement for his deceased daughter Sarah. He takes Ellie from the Fireflies before the operation and kills their leader Marlene, who was Ellie's previous caretaker, effectively dooming what's left of humanity. Once Ellie wakes up, Joel lies and tells her that the Fireflies had stopped looking for a cure, and it's implied that Ellie knew Joel was lying and that she wanted to die.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragaliaLost'': Prince Euden cares deeply for his people and his kingdom, but he's shown on occasion that, if pushed, he'll prioritize his sister Zethia over them in a heartbeat. Emphasized in Chapter 15, where [[spoiler: his obsession with saving Zethia almost gets everyone slaughtered by the Agito.]]

** A villainous example in "Deep Freeze"; Mr. Freeze encounters a crazed mogul, Grant Walker, who wants to use his technology to freeze the entire planet, killing everyone except those on his island. In exchange for his cooperation, Walker offers to revive Freeze's wife. Freeze is willing to go along with the plan until Batman points out that Nora would be waking up to a cold, dead world (and would blame Freeze for it), whereupon Freeze releases Batman and Robin and helps them defeat Walker.

* ''ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}}'' is this way with ComicBook/{{Monet|StCroix}} in ''[[ComicBook/UncannyXMen2015 Uncanny X-Men]]''. They had two missions helping other mutants but he was mainly concerned with protecting her. He also showed loyalty toward her over their other teammates. He shows the same bias toward Holly Bright -another love interest in ''ComicBook/FirstXMen''.

* ''Fanfic/LePapillonRising'' Adrien somehow gives Marinette magical immunity to the akumas. And doesn't give this to anyone else. Because he's obsessed with her from pretty much the moment he sees her. This may be a case of AuthorAppeal.

* Jaune in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11518796/1/From-Beyond From Beyond]]'' takes it to rather [[ExaggeratedTrope extreme lenghts]]. Not only will he do pretty much anything to save Blake - [[spoiler:getting an innocent man killed included]] - but he is also willing to [[spoiler:endanger his entire world by letting Cinder go and refusing to follow Ozpin]] as not to make Blake unhappy. Even Jaune himself acknowledges how messed up that is.

** [[spoiler: Akemi Homura]] is revealed to have this mindset. Happily, saving the girl in question also coincides with saving the world [[spoiler: by ensuring she'll never turn into a [[CosmicHorrorStory super-powerful, world-destroying Witch]]]]. [[TearJerker Sadly, however]], [[spoiler: it's not as easy as it sounds, even with [[GroundhogDayLoop multiple attempts]]. She's even had to ''{{Shoot|TheDog}}''/''MercyKill'' The Girl once, and Kyubey eventually revealed that ''it was her very actions that ironically led to both the Girl and the World getting screwed at the same time'', but [[PoweredByAForsakenChild the sacrifice was necessary]] to [[EquivalentExchange avoid the universe itself getting screwed by entropy instead]]]].

* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', just like everything else, takes this trope and cranks it past absurdity all the way into heartbreaking. It's also a DefiedTrope. Simon does everything in his power to save Nia from the Anti-Spirals, and in the end is unable to save her. However his own spiral power has grown so much he could theoretically use it to revive her. It's heavily implied doing so would cause so much damage to the universe it'd case the big disaster the Anti-Spirals were trying to prevent. So Simon refuses. That's right, Simon could literally just ''will'' Nia back to life if he so chose but does not so as not to destroy the universe. ''Damn.''

** "Bride" and "Legion": [[spoiler:When Brainiac possesses Chloe's body, he/she/it proceeds to drain the world of its knowledge and readies Doomsday to destroy what is left. With great difficulty, Clark manages to save both Chloe and the world -- but the most heartwarming part can be seen with their dialog on [[Quotes/TheNeedsOfTheMany the quotes page]] of TheNeedsOfTheMany]].

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Main hero Cloud Strife will often act indifferent but if there's a young woman in danger, he will rush to her rescue and the game will make the Cloud (the player) choose between ChildhoodSweetheart Tifa Lockheart and SmittenTeenageGirl Aerith as they both get in danger at certain points in the game and Cloud must come to the rescue and both of them have more than platonic feeling towards Cloud.[[spoiler: Unfortunately for players who were interested in Aerith, the BigBad Sephiroth comes in and ruins any hopes of romance with Aerith as she is ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice by him, those players who chose Tifa get a romantic scene between her and Cloud before the final battle.]]

** A heartbreaking example, though it can be avoided by multiple ways, like [[TakeAThirdOption accepting the deal]] that Morrigan offers near the end of the game. Still, if [[spoiler:a female Warden romanced Alistair, he chooses to deliver the final blow to the Archdemon, killing himself in the process because he won't let the woman he loves die. [[TearJerker And no, he can't be persuaded out of his decision]]. The only way to prevent it is to leave him behind when you go to confront the Archdemon, a decision he does not take kindly to]].