History Main / CharacterAlignment

* '''Ethical axis''': Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic (AKA Order, Balance, and Chaos). Lawful represents honor and obedience to the law; Chaotic leans toward personal freedom, without regards to the law; and Neutral is an intermediate position that either doesn't care or seeks balance between the two ends.

* '''Ethical axis''': Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic. Lawful represents honor and obedience to the law; Chaotic leans toward personal freedom, without regards to the law; and Neutral is an intermediate position that either doesn't care or seeks balance between the two ends.

** Lawful is what happens when you crank WeHelpTheHelpless up and add in a dose of GoodIsNotNice. Lawful characters value stability, order and permanence above all else, and are more likely than not to denounce TheEvilsOfFreeWill. {{Totalitarian Utilitarian}}s are common as well. At its worst, Lawful is just as alien to conventional morality as Chaotic.

* ''Creator/MichaelMoorcock'''s "Eternal Champion" meta-series (which includes series such as ''Literature/TheElricSaga'', ''Literature/TheHistoryOfTheRunestaff'', ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfCorum'', among many others) is the TropeMaker. Moorcock's multiverse has an eternal conflict between [[OrderVersusChaos Law versus Chaos]]. Both Lords of Law and the Chaos Gods pick Champions to fight for them and characters are usually aligned with one of the two paths. However, [[LightIsNotGood "Law" does not imply goodness]] and [[DarkIsNotEvil "Chaos" isn't necessarily evil]] either. BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous, as a victory of Chaos will turn reality into an unformed infinity where everything is possible at the same time while a victory of Law will turn reality into a formless void of eternal stasis where nothing changes. Thus, it is the job of the afforementioned "Eternal Champion" to bring BalanceBetweenOrderAndChaos.

** Games outside the main continuity tend to ditch the alignment system completely. ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'', despite having MultipleEndings, bases your ending on who you ally with to gain control of Babel and end the lockdown. These six endings are still somewhat analogous to the classic Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei alignments; Law -- Aname (UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans) / Atsuro (MyCountryRightOrWrong), Neutral -- Yuzu (BystanderSyndrome) / Gin (ResetButton), Chaos -- Naoya (RageAgainstTheHeavens) / Kaido (TheSocialDarwinist).

** In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'', the previous system of alignment is discarded in favour of three specific philosophies: Shijima (which is closest to Law, except that the KnightTemplar tendencies take a different form), Musabi (Neutral, focusing on individuality and freedom of choice), and Yosuga (Chaos with a heavy dose of the elitism that Law was previously known for). Also, there's [[spoiler:screwing them all and either returning the world to the way it used to be, or leaving the Vortex World the way it is]], and in the Maniax edition, [[spoiler:True Demon, in which you say "fuck that noise," give up your leftover humanity and join Lucifer's army in order to [[RageAgainstTheHeavens take out]] {{God}} and keep this stuff from [[EternalRecurrence happening over and over again]]]].

* ''Creator/MichaelMoorcock'''s "Eternal Champion" meta-series (which includes series such as ''Literature/TheElricSaga'', ''Literature/TheHistoryOfTheRunestaff'', ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfCorum'', among many others) is the TropeMaker. Moorcock's multiverse has an eternal conflict between [[OrderVersusChaos Law versus Chaos]]. Both Lords of Law and the Chaos Gods pick Champions to fight for them and characters usually dedicate themsleves to follow one of the two paths. However, [[LightIsNotGood "Law" does not imply goodness]] and [[DarkIsNotEvil "Chaos" isn't necessarily evil]] either. BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous, as a victory of Chaos will turn reality into an unformed infinity where everything is possible at the same time while a victory of Law will turn reality into a formless void of eternal stasis where nothing changes. Thus, it is the job of the afforementioned "Eternal Champion" to bring BalanceBetweenOrderAndChaos.

* ''Creator/MichaelMoorcock'''s "Eternal Champion" meta-series (which includes series such as ''Literature/TheElricSaga'', ''Literature/TheHistoryOfTheRunestaff'', ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfCorum'', among many others) is the TropeMaker. Moorcock's multiverse has an eternal conflict between [[OrderVersusChaos Law versus Chaos]]. Both Lords of Law and the Chaos Gods pick Champions to fight for them and characters usually dedicate themsleves to follow one of the two paths. However, "Law" does not imply goodness and "Chaos" isn't necessairly evil either, BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous, as a victory of Chaos will turn reality into an unformed infinity where everything is possible at the same time while a victory of Law will turn reality into a formless void of of eternal stasis where nothing changes. Thus, it is the job of the afforementioned "Eternal Champion" to bring BalanceBetweenOrderAndChaos.

* ''Creator/MichaelMoorcock'''s "Eternal Champion" meta-series (which includes series such as ''Literature/TheElricSaga'', ''Literature/TheHistoryOfTheRunestaff'', ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfCorum'', among many others) is the TropeMaker. Moorcock's multiverse has an eternal conflict between [[OrderVersusChaos Law versus Chaos]]. Both Lords of Law and the Chaos Gods pick Champions to fight for them and characters usually dedicate themsleves to follow one of the two paths. However, "Law" does not imply goodness and "Chaos" isn't necessairly evil either, BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous and is the job of the afforementioned "Eternal Champion" to bring BalanceBetweenOrderAndChaos.

** The summoned champions each have their own [[TabletopGame/DungeonsandDragons D&D]]-esque alignment, though the Berserker class is outside it due to lacking rationality[[note]]It has been explained that the Berserker-class Servants who are fully affected by Mad Enhancement still have an alignment. ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''[='=]s Berserker would be Chaotic Good, and ''LightNovel/FateZero''[='=]s Berserker would be Lawful Good[[/note]]. For example, Saber is LawfulGood, Archer is TrueNeutral, Caster is NeutralEvil, while Gilgamesh and Rider are ChaoticGood. However, how accurately each Servant matches their alignment tends to vary wildly: Saber and Caster match their alignments well, while Rider and especially Gilgamesh have baffled fans since their release, leading to many competing theories that try to give a consistent explanation. Most suggestions will only explain one character, though the theory that alignments are carryovers from a prototype that had vastly different characters using the same identities has gained some support after more information about it was revealed.

** ''LightNovel/FateZero'' continues this. Saber is still LawfulGood (obviously), Rider is NeutralGood, Archer (Gilgamesh) is still ChaoticGood, Lancer is LawfulNeutral, Caster is ChaoticEvil, Berserker is Lawful Mad[[note]]LawfulGood in actuality[[/note]], and Assassin is LawfulEvil.

* '''ChaoticNeutral''': Chaotic Neutral characters are all about freedom, and don't care so much about rules or morality. They're wild, carefree and selfish, but not so callous or sadistic as to be actually evil. The most extreme examples act completely randomly. When evil alignments are unavailable, Chaotic Neutral is often used by players in TabletopGames to excuse doing anything they feel like, and as such is often prohibited by the sort of GameMaster who also prohibits evil characters. Just as often the bad guys as the good guys in an OrderVersusChaos situation. The main difference between Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Evil is a matter of execution.

* '''ChaoticEvil''': Will do whatever they want to, especially if it hurts other people, without regard for the rules. While a Neutral Evil person would work within the system until it was convenient not to, a chaotic evil person would often work outside the system. Contrary to what some believe, Chaotic Evil does not mean the kind of wanton, meaningless slaughter and destruction. Rather, they usually consider what is practical in a particular situation.

* '''ChaoticNeutral''': Chaotic Neutral characters are all about freedom, and don't care so much about rules or morality. They're wild, carefree and selfish, but not so callous or sadistic as to be actually evil. When evil alignments are unavailable, Chaotic Neutral is often used by players in TabletopGames to excuse doing anything they feel like, and as such is often prohibited by the sort of GameMaster who also prohibits evil characters. Just as often the bad guys as the good guys in an OrderVersusChaos situation. The main difference between Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Evil is a matter of execution.

* '''NeutralEvil''': The consummate [[PragmaticEvil pragmatists]], Neutral Evil characters don't find themselves shackled to their impulses or bound by rules of law and honor. They are only interested in one thing: [[ItsAllAboutMe themselves]]. They'll do whatever is most prudent to get them to their desired destination, no matter who they have to hurt along the way.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The game's five color themes have been mapped into an alignment system only once, using the ''D&D'' axes only once: when the creative team was trying to discern the relative personalities of the Ravnican guilds, which are each based on a two-color combination. White was mapped to "Good", Blue to "Lawful", Black to "Evil", Red to "Chaotic", and Green to "Neutral". This led to such implausibilities as the Red-Blue [[MadScientist Izzet]] [[StuffBlowingUp League]] being dubbed "lawful chaotic" and the Black-White [[TheNecrocracy Orzhov]] [[CorruptChurch Syndicate]] dubbed "good evil."

See also UnconventionalAlignment, LawfulStupidChaoticStupid, StupidGood, StupidEvil, StupidNeutral, AlwaysLawfulGood, AlwaysChaoticEvil, and GoodAndEvilForYourConvenience. The MirrorMoralityMachine will invert any alignment... except for TrueNeutral; the opposite of zero is still zero.

** One of the best examples is the juxtaposition of Roy and Miko during [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html "No Cure for the Paladin Blues."]] They're both Lawful Good, but take completely different approaches to their alignment.

** The endless alignment debates over Vaarsuvius's [[spoiler:DealWithTheDevil in "Don't Split the Party"]], and whether it was True Neutral as WordOfGod insists it was. It's gotten to the point where people jokingly start arguing about alignments every time a character moves a muscle.

*** Although it has been hinted that he may be shifting to ChaoticNeutral or at the very least is going through CharacterDevelopment to no longer be a total bad guy, but instead a monster with a few hidden good traits and a bit more restraint if it benefits him. One comic showed that his deepest wish is to [[spoiler:to die and end up in the same afterlife as Lord Shojo and pampering Mr. Scruffy together, which will never happen due to their different alignments]]. His relationship with [[MoralityPet Mr. Scruffy]] led him to commit what is possibly his only act of true empathy (not including the times he was magically influenced to feel empathy).

** [[ChaoticEvil *Pulls into the drive through as children cheer* *Orders a single black coffee and leaves*]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In the fifth issue of the ''ComicBook/AdventureTime'' comic, an alignment chart is given for the odd variants of the main characters in Adventure Time's world. Assuming they translate to the main versions, they are: Lawful Good - Princess Bubblegum, Neutral Good - Finn, Chaotic Good - Jake, Lawful Neutral - Lemongrab, True Neutral - Tree Trunks, Chaotic Neutral - Marceline, Neutral Evil - Ice King, and Chaotic Evil - The Lich. The vacant Lawful Evil space is taken by one-shot villain Me-Mow.

** 5E returned to its roots and features the original nine-point axis, but retains Unaligned from 4E. However, its scope was narrowed to only include entities that lack the intelligence or sapience to have a concept of morality, such as animals and constructs. Overall, 5e diminishes the importance of alignment by removing most of its mechanical effects' for example, Paladins don't have to be lawful good but follow Oaths that range across the alignment chart from the noble oath of Protection to the sinister oath of Conquest. Additionally, while most creatures "tend" towards certain alignment, individual members can be of any alignment. That being said, the various Oaths and pacts tend to have alignments at their base, so you cannot be a ChaoticEvil Paladin of Protection with an Oath to someone like [[ThePaladin Tyr]] as they won't want to give their blessing to someone actively working against their tenants or goals.

** 5E returned to its roots and features the original nine-point axis, but retains Unaligned from 4E, which is narrowed in scope to only include entities that lack the intelligence or sapience to have a concept of morality, such as animals and constructs. Overall, 5e diminishes the importance of alignment by removing most of its mechanical effects' for example, Paladins don't have to be lawful good but follow Oaths that range across the alignment chart from the noble oath of Protection to the sinister oath of Conquest. Additionally, while most creatures "tend" towards certain alignment, individual members can be of any alignment. That being said, the various Oaths and pacts tend to have alignments at their base, so you cannot be a ChaoticEvil Paladin of Protection with an Oath to someone like [[ThePaladin Tyr]] as they won't want to give their blessing to someone actively working against their tenants or goals.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'':
** The game has an elaborate alignment system embodied by its Color Pie that defines them by a general philosophy:
*** White is the color of order, law, and teamwork.
*** Blue is the color of science and logic.
*** Black is the color of self-centeredness, ambition, and pragmatism.
*** Red is the color of emotion, creativity, and freedom.
*** Green is the color of nature, tradition, and growth.
** There is deliberately no color specifically aligned with good or evil, though some colors get stereotyped as such anyway. White is associated with light and angels and is often thought of as the "good" faction, but its traits can also be directed to oppressive tyranny and complete conformity. Conversely, Black's selfishness and (un)death motifs make it the obvious "evil" color (and even the creators admit that villains tend to be drawn to Black), but it's also the color that values self-improvement and following your dreams.
** Things become even more complex since characters can have traits of multiple colors at once. Each color has parts that mesh with the two alongside it and parts that diametrically oppose the two opposite it, though even conflicting colors aren't mutually exclusive. For example, Red-White characters combine White's love of order with Red's frantic energy to create anything from a vicious KnightTemplar to a passionate defender of the innocent. Green-Blue characters can do things as insanely impulsive as creating a deadly plague and as coldly rational as exposing it to a statistically representative sample of the population without ever considering morality.
** The colors were mapped onto the ''D&D'' character alignment axes only once in ''Magic''[='s=] history; when the creative team was trying to discern the relative personalities of the Ravnican guilds, which are each based on a two-color combination. White was mapped to "Good", Blue to "Lawful" ("a stretch" even to them, especially given that Law is ''White's'' thing), Black to "Evil", Red to "Chaotic", and Green to "Neutral". This led to such implausibilities as the Red-Blue [[MadScientist Izzet]] [[StuffBlowingUp League]] being dubbed "lawful chaotic" and the Black-White [[TheNecrocracy Orzhov]] [[CorruptChurch Syndicate]] dubbed "good evil."

* Set in a modernized D&D-inspired world, Literature/IDoNotWantToDoThis treats alignment a range of philosophical perspectives, with companies officially not discriminating in hiring on the basis of alignment and the (Good-aligned) protagonist cringing when he hears people speaking forcefully against Evil rather than employing a more modern, tolerant view.

** Lawful is what happens when you crank WeHelpTheHelpless UpToEleven and add in a dose of GoodIsNotNice. Lawful characters value stability, order and permanence above all else, and are more likely than not to denounce TheEvilsOfFreeWill. {{Totalitarian Utilitarian}}s are common as well. At its worst, Lawful is just as alien to conventional morality as Chaotic.

* In ''Roleplay/DeptHeavenApocrypha'', an early meme allowed players to discover what alignments their characters had. Many of the "hero" types like Milanor, Kylier, and Yggdra are LawfulGood, Nessiah is ChaoticGood, Malice is LawfulNeutral, and Meria is ChaoticNeutral.

* '''LawfulEvil''': Organized evil with a master plan. Often members of TheEmpire, they use organization, rules and honor to their advantage, inflicting their will on others by achieving power within the system. Be they a NobleDemon, a ProudWarriorRaceGuy, or just simply a who believes in keeping order [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans at all costs]], they are not to be underestimated.