History Main / ArmedAltruism

Note that this is completely different from any occasion where someone on a rescue mission gives a hostage a ''spare'' gun.

''Film/MissionImpossibleIII''. This just makes good sense that both you and your ally/friend are armed while trying to escape.

Note that this is completely different from any occasion where someone on a rescue mission gives a hostage a ''spare'' gun, as happens in ''Film/DieHard'' (which would have been a subversion anyway, as he deliberately gave the BigBad an empty gun) and near the start of ''Film/MissionImpossibleIII''. This just makes good sense that both you and your ally/friend are armed while trying to escape.

* ''Film/DieHard'': Seeing through Hans' charade, John pretends to be doing this when he gives him a gun.

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': There are occasionally times when someone initially dislikes Tuvok, and he wins them over with a DivingSave, although it doesn't normally result in him being seriously injured.

* ''VideoGame/DesperadosIII'': {{Defied}}. Marshal Wayne, upon his rescue, attempts to {{invoke|d}} this trope by asking McCoy to lend him his Buntline to which McCoy replies that that’ll occur only if “he takes a bullet to the head.”

%%* In ''Series/TheGoodGuys'' pilot episode.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In the movie ''Film/AirForceOne'', when James Marshall (Creator/HarrisonFord) frees the staff from a locked room aboard the aeroplane, the first thing he does is give his gun to the Secret Service man, which makes tremendous sense, regardless of his [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President Action]] abilities.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gamebooks]]
* Non-gun example: in the ''Literature/LoneWolf'' book ''Fire on the Water'', if you have the Magic Spear (the only weapon at that point that can harm a Helghast) you can give it to Lord-Lieutenant Rhygar so that he can guard the entrance of the Tarnalin tunnel. In early editions, you get killed for doing this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]

* In the ''Series/StargateSG1'' episode "Foothold", as soon as Jack O'Neill frees Major Davis, he gives him his pistol.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/DeusEx''

* In ''VideoGame/DeadRising'', in general it's better to give your guns to the non-suicidal survivors you rescue because as {{NPC}}s they will have unlimited ammo. As an added bonus, since bosses tend to go for you first, doing so frees the survivors to pepper them with bullets.

[[/folder]]

* Police officer Cybil Bennet gives her pistol to the untrained novelist protagonist Harry Mason in ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' for no apparent reason. She somehow acquires another one, which isn't that hard to believe considering the small arsenal you amass by exploring the town.

This may happen for several reasons. Possibly the rescuer is soon going to acquire another one himself. (You'd think, though, that in that situation, it would be better to wait until you actually had a second gun.) Possibly the rescuee is better trained to handle the weapon. Sometimes, however, it happens for absolutely no reason, other than to [[RuleOfDrama make things]] [[SelfImposedChallenge tougher for the hero]] and/or show what a good guy the hero is.

In [[RealLife Real Life]], it is worth noting that (in the highly unlikely event you find yourself disrupting a hostage situation) this is probably a good idea ONLY if the person you are giving the weapon to is better trained to use it than you are. It is also worth noting that a police officer or soldier who gives the weapon they were to a civilian, stands a very good chance of being punished for breaking regulations.

Note that this is completely different from any occasion where someone on a rescue mission gives a hostage a ''spare'' gun, as happens in ''Film/DieHard'' (which would have been a subversion anyway, as he deliberately gave the BigBad an empty gun) and near the start of ''Film/MissionImpossible III''. This just makes good sense that both you and your ally/friend are armed while trying to escape.

* In ''Series/TheGoodGuys'' pilot episode.

!!Examples

[[AC:Films]]

[[AC:Gamebooks]]
* Non-gun example: in the ''LoneWolf'' book ''Fire on the Water'', if you have the Magic Spear (the only weapon at that point that can harm a Helghast) you can give it to Lord-Lieutenant Rhygar so that he can guard the entrance of the Tarnalin tunnel. In early editions, you get killed for doing this.

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Videogames]]
* In ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', after you free Agent Gunter you have the option of giving him your pistol.
* A player who isn't careful with their weapons can find themselves in this situation in ''Videogame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' before the first shootout with Belltower in the Alice Garden Pods, as [[PlayfulHacker Arie Van Bruggen]] begs for a weapon to defend himself. [[spoiler:And if you don't give him one, he ''will'' die]]. Of course, depending on [[PlayerCharacter Adam's]] augmentations, a gun [[StealthExpert may not even be remotely necessary to escape unharmed]], ultimately subverting the spirit of this trope.

* In ''DeadRising'', in general it's better to give your guns to the non-suicidal survivors you rescue because as {{NPC}}s they will have unlimited ammo. As an added bonus, since bosses tend to go for you first, doing so frees the survivors to pepper them with bullets.

* In the ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'' episode "Foothold", as soon as Jack O'Neill frees Major Davis, he gives him his pistol.

In [[Real Life]], it is worth noting that (in the highly unlikely event you find yourself disrupting a hostage situation) this is probably a good idea ONLY if the person you are giving the weapon to is better trained to use it than you are. It is also worth noting that a police officer or soldier who gives the weapon they were to a civilian, stands a very good chance of being punished for breaking regulations.