History Main / HeroicNeutral

* The {{X-Men}} are quickly becoming this to the rest of the Marvel Universe, most noticeably during the events of the MarvelCivilWar. Of course, a community on the verge of extinction isn't likely to get very proactive about concerns outside their own community. However, the team is largely still composed of decent people (CharacterDerailment notwithstanding), so if things ''really'' hit the fan, they'll pitch in regardless.

Now, the biggest irony is that Evil [[{{Evil Cannot Comprehend Good}} can't seem to get it into its head]] that these people don't have to be a threat. Especially if said Neutral has shown more than enough power to kick their asses, this seems to indicate to Evil that they need to recruit or destroy them even more, because surely such power will oppose them eventually. So they preemptively strike, thus [[SelfFulfillingProphecy self-fulfilling]] their assessment, because ''yes'', [[NeutralNoLonger now]] the Neutral will destroy them.

See BadassBystander, IJustWantToBeNormal (But will kick your ass if you don't let me), TrueNeutral, AwakeningTheSleepingGiant, and VillainsActHeroesReact.

Frequently RetiredBadass.

KarmicTricksters are often HeroicNeutral. May also be a KnightInSourArmor. If this happens not just once or twice but continually, chances are they're a WeirdnessMagnet.

KarmicTricksters are often HeroicNeutral. May also be a KnightInSourArmor.

* CiaphasCain basically just wants to have a peaceful retirement on a quiet out-of-the-way planet, but the Imperium seemingly needs him all the time and of course his 'reputation' makes them call on him all the more often, a reputation that only grows every time they do. Of course when he's seemingly found his peace, the baddies alwaysseems to come across the galaxy to find him.

* Jack Rakan in MahouSenseiNegima. You can either [[PunchClockHero pay him a huge amount of money]] or you can make friends with him (in which case he'll just charge you credit) if you want his help. Otherwise, he just doesn't care.

* ''LoneWolfAndCub'': Good lord, leave the guy and his kid ALONE, already! First 100 assassins sent, died messily. Second 100 assassins sent, died messily. You'd think this MIGHT give the villains a clue; but no; they decided to "compromise" by telling him they'd leave him alone [[TooDumbToLive if they just killed his son.]]

* Captain Malcolm Reynolds of ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' is a classic example. "There's a lot of fine ways to die. I ain't waiting for the Alliance to choose mine."

It is the [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive job of the plot to make them care]]. Heroic Neutral tends to be called "Good" mostly because Evil is [[{{Villains Act Heroes React}} more likely to mess with them]]: kidnap their loved ones, threaten their home village, etc. And these types will do ''whatever it takes'' to return things to the way they were. Evil starts it, the Heroic Neutral [[NeutralNoLonger finishes it]]. And they'll go right back to being left alone until some idiot again tries to mess with them. If Good tries to recruit them before Evil makes it personal, the Neutral will say no. Evil ''always'' makes it personal.

It is the [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive job of the plot to make them care]]. Heroic Neutral tends to be called "Good" mostly because Evil is [[{{Villains Act Heroes React}} more likely to mess with them]]: kidnap their loved ones, threaten their home village, etc. And these types will do ''whatever it takes'' to return things to the way they were. Evil starts it, the Heroic Neutral [[NeutralNoMore finishes it]]. And they'll go right back to being left alone until some idiot again tries to mess with them. If Good tries to recruit them before Evil makes it personal, the Neutral will say no. Evil ''always'' makes it personal.

It is the [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive job of the plot to make them care]]. Heroic Neutral tends to be called "Good" mostly because Evil is [[{{Villains Act Heroes React}} more likely to mess with them]]: kidnap their loved ones, threaten their home village, etc. And these types will do ''whatever it takes'' to return things to the way they were. Evil starts it, the Heroic Neutral finishes it. And they'll go right back to being left alone until some idiot again tries to mess with them. If Good tries to recruit them before Evil makes it personal, the Neutral will say no. Evil ''always'' makes it personal.

It is the [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive job of the plot to make them care]]. Heroic Neutral tends to be called "Good" mostly because Evil is [[{{Villains Act Heroes React}} more likely to mess with them]]: kidnap their loved ones, threaten their home village, etc. And these types will do ''whatever it takes'' to return things to the way they were. Evil starts it, the Heroic Neutral finishes it. And they'll go right back to being left alone until some idiot again tries to mess with them. If Good tries to recruit them, the Neutral will say no... until said Good gets captured or killed while being his guest. Now [=~It's Personal~=].

* The US at the beginning of WorldWarII, until Pearl Harbor.

See BadassBystander, IJustWantToBeNormal (But will kick your ass if you don't let me), TrueNeutral, AwakeningTheSleepingGiant, and VillainsActHeroesReact. KarmicTricksters are often HeroicNeutral.

*** This is a rather peculiar incident where [[FranklinDRoosevelt FDR]] JumpedAtTheCall, but the American Congress and people for the most part didn't really care to get involved. The first two and a half or so years of WorldWarII, FDR ran all kinds of [[BatmanGambit Batman Gambits]] to provoke one of the Axis powers (at first Germany, then Japan) into attacking the United States; Lend-Lease was originally one of these gambits. The one that worked was an embargo on shipping oil to Japan (Japan had previously relied on the United States for its oil supply), and that provoked the attack on Pearl Harbor.