History Main / OpportunisticBastard

* Esketra from ''[[Literature/{{Kane}} Dark Crusade]]''. She has no qualms about using her good looks to her advantage, first seducing aspiring general Javro and then, when her city is overrun by the Dark Crusade, living in comfort as the lover of leader Orted Ak-Ceddi. And she would betray anyone if she thought it would help her. Unfortunately for her, women are immune to her charms and there is one that really wants to get her {{Revenge}} and [[spoiler: righty suspects that Esketra would be able to convince Javro to forgive her]].

* Acheron from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes'' is nicknamed "The Weathervane" for his tendency to switch sides based on what will give him the most clout. He has no respect for Claude, the heir to the Leicester Alliance leadership, so he often attempts to curry favor with TheEmpire in hopes of increasing his political standing. In turn, neither the Alliance nor the Empire takes Acheron seriously, and his failure to read the prevailing winds always spells his downfall, especially in ''Three Hopes'' when (on Scarlet Blaze) he tries to sell supplies he stole from the Imperial army, thinking they'll pay out the nose to recover them and/or buy his services, or (on Golden Wildfire) he defects from the Alliance to join the Empire, potentially dying before the Empire finds out about his betrayal.

* ''Videogame/FinalFantasyIX:'' This trope applies to Kuja, from disc 3 onward. In the first two discs, Kuja had a true EvilPlan, but it gets immediately curbstomped the second that [[spoiler:his boss, Garland, decides that [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he has outlived his usefulness]].]] Kuja immediately goes into hiding and, with his treachery revealed, has no choice but to acquire power any means he can. He tries a few things that also fail before opportunity shines and one of the good guys taps into their SuperMode right in front of him. From that moment on, his plan is to [[spoiler:let the heroes fight both him and Garland, and win, and then [[TurnsRed Turn Red]] and invoke his own SuperMode ''permanently''.]] ''And it works.'' At that point, Kuja had everything he needed to take over the world, but there was one thing he didn't count on...

* The Bounty Hunter Player Character from ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' gets two opportunities to address a huge audience. They're expected to either make inspiring speeches or threaten The Republic. But instead, you can... make a sales pitch. Heck, you're never going to get a better chance than this!

-->'''Darth Decimus:''' A sales pitch wasn't quite I had in mind.

* ''Manga/OnePiece:'' Marshall D. Teach, aka "Blackbeard", is best described this way. He wants to become the Pirate King, but being TheFatalist that he is (which the rest of the crew shares), he's content with just waiting for good opportunities to show up so that he can seize it. He used to be a humble member of Whitebeard Pirates, but when he saw his higher-up, Thatch, acquiring the Devil Fruit Yami-Yami no Mi, he killed Thatch to gain the fruit and its powers, then ran away to make his own pirate group. Some time later, when Ace (another member of Whitebeard Pirates) hunted him down, Blackbeard used this opportunity to defeat him in a duel, bring him to the Marines, and use him (Ace is a highly-wanted pirate) as a bargaining chip to become one of the [[{{Privateer}} Shichibukai (Seven Warlords)]], getting special privileges in the process. He then exploited it to sneak into the world's largest prison, Impel Down, and take a few of the powerful prisoners to be part of his crew (all while there's a PrisonRiot courtesy of Luffy). It culminates in the Marineford Arc, where he uses the opportunity to enter the battle of Marineford (between the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates, who wanted to stop Ace's execution) to kill Whitebeard and [[PowerParasite gain his earthquake powers]] in the process. Only then can he safely declare that from then on, "this is [his] era".

-->'''Darth Decimus:''' [[ActuallyPrettyFunny A sales pitch wasn't quite I had in mind]].

* Darth Malak from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', who usurped his former master Darth Revan by ordering his ship to fire on Revan's vessel while the latter was distracted. Despite Revan [[spoiler:apparently]] perishing in the attack and Malak becoming the undisputed Dark Lord of the Sith, it's also established that the other Sith don't respect him since his actions are quite contrary to Sith principles: victories are supposed to show superior strength or cunning, thus strengthening the Sith as a whole; whereas cheap shots like Malak's only encourage ChronicBackstabbingDisorder which would prevent ''anything'' from getting done.

** [[EvilFormerFriend Wormtail]] is a humbler example as a DirtyCoward and [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder chronic backstabber]] who just looks for the biggest shadow to crawl and live in. First he "befriended" the Marauders at Hogwarts because they were popular, then he betrayed them as an adult, becoming TheMole for the Death Eaters in the Order of the Phoenix because Voldemort was gaining more and more power. Wormtail sold out his "friends," the Potters, and their [[WouldHurtAChild one-year-old son]] to their deaths, just to secure his position, then after that backfired, he went framed his other "friend" Sirius and went into hiding. It speaks volumes of Wormtail's level of cowardice and self-interest that he was willing to live as a rat for over a decade, just on the off chance Voldemort returned and he needed to [[WouldHurtAChild offer Harry up as a sacrifice]] to get back in his good graces. It's only when he has literally no other option that he seeks out Voldemort and helps him return to full power, just to have the protection of someone powerful again.

* Dante, the BigBad from [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist]]. There's no question that she's a [[ManipulativeBastard talented manipulator]], able to keep most of the Homunculi under her thumb, including one who's [[spoiler:the leader of Amestris]], but despite the power and resources at her disposal, her plans are remarkably basic. Since it's too risky to keep openly creating [[HumanResources Philosopher's Stones]] for herself, she uses her alchemy [[spoiler:and control over the government]] to start plagues and wars to generate as much suffering in the world as possible, while ensuring that the recipe to create one is ''just'' available enough. All this is done on the off chance that an alchemist talented and desperate enough will seek out the instructions and create a Philosopher's Stone for her, keeping Dante's involvement hidden. Once they do that, she steals it and uses it to [[ImmortalityImmorality prolong her own, already centuries old, life.]] Her master plan essentially boils down to spreading chaos so she can profit off of someone else's work.

* Dante, the BigBad from [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist]]. There's no question that she's a [[ManipulativeBastard talented manipulator]], able to keep most of the Homunculi under her thumb, including one who's [[spoiler:the leader of Amestris]], but despite the power and resources at her disposal, her plans are remarkably basic. Since she's not skilled enough at alchemy to create a Philosopher's Stone for herself, she kickstarts wars and tries to generate as much suffering in the world as possible, all on the off chance that an alchemist talented and desperate enough will create a Philosopher's Stone for her. Once they do that, she plans on stealing it and using it to [[ImmortalityImmorality prolong her own, already centuries old, life.]] Her master plan essentially boils down to spreading chaos so she can profit off of someone else's work.

As the name suggests, characters like this excel at grabbing onto the opportunities that others present. Unlike TheChessmaster, who often fails when things don't go according to plan, the Opportunistic Bastard typically rolls well with unexpected results, exploiting every new circumstance to his own advantage. Where they tend to suffer is in the long term--a good opportunist can keep his head above water on any given day but is ultimately going to crash and burn because they lack the vision to stay in it for the long haul. A particularly capable Opportunistic Bastard might actually be able to give the impression of being a Chessmaster, due to their ability to adapt to new situations, but even then, they are liable to paint themselves into a corner due to their lack of forethought.

* EnigmaticMinion Char Aznable from the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' is a competent planner, and is able to stay a step ahead of most people, but he's more of a short-term opportunist than a long-term schemer, and more often than not is flying by the seat of his pants. He has the vague goal of "eliminate the Zabis" but no real plan for doing it--instead he just hangs around with them, hoping to get the chance to murder them. He hangs around with Garma Zabi and is able to betray him, leading to his death in battle. He then just bounces around from commander to commander and mission to mission until the very end of the show when he's able to take a shot at Kycilia Zabi, who by then (no thanks to Char) is the only Zabi left. He spends most of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta]]'' hoping the AEUG will force the world to follow his father's philosophy without him having to lead it; when things go south, he abandons the cause after his defeat by Haman Khan. Even in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack CCA]]'', when he does take power in Neo-Zeon, it's not through planning--he just waits until everybody else with a claim to the throne (Haman Khan, Glemmy Toto, Mineva Zabi) is dead or in hiding, and declares himself leader.

Then you've got this guy. The Opportunistic Bastard doesn't have a plan, or at least not a clearly outlined one. He may have a vague goal that he's working towards, but when it comes to getting there, he's winging it. Other times the Opportunistic Bastard doesn't even have that going for him and just latches onto other people's schemes in the name of making as much short term profit as he can. The evilest ones often choose to align themselves with a BigBad that can offer them a share in his power and a lot of rivalry may ensue regarding who will get the biggest share from the others.

** Madara Uchiha had a plan with an actual claim to {{Chessmaster}} status before his resurrection. However, he was returned to life with a series of mishaps: his former apprentice having hijacked his old plan and him being revived by the dark Impure World Resurrection technique rather than the true resurrection he expected, and since then has been trying to improvise his way to victory. Madara proceeded to wait for an opportunity to break free of the caster's control before finding his apprentice Tobi had already revived the monstrous Ten-Tailed Beast with no intention of sharing that power with Madara. Then Madara tries to regain control of the situation using his back-up plan but eventually got OutGambitted from Tobi. [[spoiler:Further Madara sits and waits for until the Alliance weaken Obito sufficiently, in order to have Black Zetsu force him to revive Madara.]]

*** In issue 191, he sends Metal Sonic to attack Freedom HQ, only to discover Scourge and the [[EvilTwin Suppression Squad]] have taken it over and booted the Freedom Fighters out. Eggman is about to have Metal Sonic leave, but ultimately decides to have Metal attack Scourge instead.

*** This is basically his entire role in the Shattered World Crisis. After his initial shock on the effects the Super Genesis Wave had, and Dark Gaia's awakening, Eggman quickly recovers and sets out to thwart the Freedom Fighters' efforts to heal the world, solely because ''he'' wants to control how Mobius is put back together.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the Republic Intelligence Service's director slides into this territory. There's no evidence he or his organization knew that [[spoiler:the Flood]] was coming, but boy does he take advantage of it like no tomorrow, using it as an excuse to receive ever greater power along with increasingly-unaccountable budgets. He even implies in press conferences that yes, RISE [[TheChessmaster knew about this whole thing]] in advance to buy more credibility.

* [[spoiler:Hans]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' who admits to not having a real plan. [[spoiler:He first intended to woo Elsa. When he realised she was an IceQueen, he turned his attention to her sister, Anna, intending to arrange an accident for Elsa. Then Elsa reveals her powers and runs away, with Anna in pursuit, and he tries to ingratiate himself to the public while they are gone. Finally, when Anna comes home, he tries to have her killed, then tells the assembled nobles that they got married, making him king; when she and Elsa turn up alive he tries to kill them both to cover his tracks.]] At no point does he have a master plan; he's just [[spoiler:aiming to be king]] through whatever means are available.

* According to WordOfGod for ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the main reason a handful of the Sunnyside toys instantly allied with [[BigBad Lotso]] and served as his henchmen when he took over the daycare center was just to claim whatever power came with the position. However, after the plush bear reveals himself to be an absolutely soulless being with nothing but sheer contempt to everyone around him, they're quick to abandon him and switch sides.

* René Belloq from ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. He's not as successful an archaeologist or adventurer as Indiana Jones is, so he usually lets Indy do all the work before [[MacGuffinDeliveryService swooping in to steal the artifacts his nemesis recovers]]. After Indy retrieves a golden idol at the beginning of the movie from a boobytrapped temple, Belloq just takes it from him by conning the local Hovitos into helping him. Later he helps the Nazis steal the Ark of the Covenant from Indy after the latter discovered its rightful location. The {{Novelization}} says Belloq's essentially made a career out of doing this to Indy, not just stealing artifacts from him but also plagiarizing an essay in graduate school and excavating a dig site while Indy spent months preparing.

** [[HiredGuns Bronn]] intends to rise in the world anyway he can, and attaches himself to anybody who can do that for him. Starting out as a simple sellsword, he first latches onto Catelyn Stark's retinue transporting Tyrion Lannister to the Vale, for the possibility of a reward. He then proceeds to quickly switch sides from Catelyn to Tyrion, championing him in a [[DuelToTheDeath Trial by Combat]], thus becoming the right-hand man of one of the richest and most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms. He stays on for a while, accumulating riches, titles and a knighthood, before eventually refusing Tyrion's request to [[spoiler:champion him again in the trial over Joffrey's murder]] because Cersei Lannister offered him a marriage into a powerful noble house with no risk to himself. Seizing any opportunity that came his way, Bronn went from an ordinary mercenary all the way to the Lord Protector of House Stokeworth.
** Lord Walder Frey, head of House Frey and Lord of the Crossing, only reacts to the plans of others and only openly aligns with anyone when he believes it will serve his best interests. In the backstory it's established he didn't join Robert's rebellion against the Targaryeans until it was all but confirmed Robert would be victorious, earning him the nickname "The Late Lord Frey." In ''Game of Thrones'' he only joins Robb's war with the Lannisters when Catelyn grants him generous enticements, including a marriage between Robb and one of his daughters. When [[spoiler:Robb breaks his marriage vow, Walder happily latches onto Tywin's side when he offers Walder's son Emmon the position of new Lord of Riverrun. Lord Walder then proceeded to butcher Robb and most of his bannermen when they were defenseless and assumed themselves safe under Lord Walder's roof]]; a pragmatic move that made Lord Walder one of the most powerful, and despised, men in all of Westeros.

* Benna Murcatto of ''{{Literature/Best Served Cold}}'' is an amoral snake of a man who latches on to his [[TheAce talented elder sister Monza]] while she uses her skills in strategy, tactics and combat to bring them to higher positions. Benna's role seems to be deciding who to betray and when, while charming his way into the good graces of others. When they're taken in as kids by the mercenary Nicomo Cosca, Benna has him deposed when he realizes Monza is more popular than Cosca. when they attack a city known as Caprile, Benna takes the chance to 'lose' Monza's orders to spare the populace to benefit him further. Finally, it's revealed Benna was [[spoiler: going to double cross their current employer, Duke Orso, if Orso hadn't acted first to kill Benna before he got the chance.]]

* ''Series/BlackSails'' has John Silver (later to be known as "Long" John Silver) who is a self-described opportunist and will latch onto any chance to advance his position or at least keep himself from getting killed. When told that in a few months [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness his usefulness will be gone and he will probably be killed]] he merely sees this as a time to make friends with his captors. Most of the other major characters have some sort of plan or goal they are working toward but Silver simply jumps at any opportunity that presents itself and goes where it takes him. This almost backfires on him in season 2 when he volunteers to join Flint on a SuicideMission convinced that Flint has some brilliant plan to get them out of the trouble they are in. To Silver's horror, Flit fully intents to go through with the mission.

** Johnny Crowder, Boyd's power-hungry cousin, who never missed a chance to improve his own position at the expense of others. Whether it was backing Boyd against [[TheDragon Devil]]'s internal coup, blackmailing Colton Rhodes about his drug addiction, providing the US Marshals with information, or manouvering between genuine power players like Boyd, his [[EvilUncle Uncle Bo]], [[PsychoForHire Wynn Duffy]], [[RuthlessForeignGangsters Nicky Augustine]], Hotrod Dunham, and [[TheCartel Mr. Yoon]], Johnny would grab at any chance to make a profit or increase his chances of taking over the Crowder family. Even after gaining control of Hotrod's organization in Season 5, he doesn't have a plan, beyond "hurt Boyd as much as possible", which leads to his defeat at the hands of his {{chessmaster}} cousin. Driven by {{greed}} and {{revenge}} (he held Boyd responsible for his [[EvilCripple crippling]]), and superb at playing the odds, Johnny could survive almost any situation, but the conclusion was never in doubt.

** Turk Barret tends to take dirty jobs rather than spearhead any plans himself. This is why he'll betray criminals to dangerous bosses, like selling the Russians out to Fisk, or ratting out Chico to Cottonmouth.

** Hernán "Shades" Alvarez from ''Series/LukeCage2016'' is always try to get in the graces of someone with more power than him, be it a corrupt guard at Seagate or Diamondback, the latter even calls him out on it when he guessed that Shades planned on being Mariah's right hand man and EvilMentor as he saw more potential with her than with Diamondback.

-->'''Sheppard:''' Everytime we get involved with you, I feel like I'm walking around with a live grenade in my pocket, just waiting for it all to go wrong - for that 'one thing' you forgot to mention.

** Cousin Greg has no discernible goal beyond keeping his job at Waystar, and proves himself to be adept at hitching rides on the shoulders of more powerful people, aligning himself with whoever seems to be in a more advantageous position at any given moment.
** Kendall's ostensible best friend Stewy is a parasite constantly piggybacking off other people's success and influence. Even his job as a private equity shark is centered around benefiting off other people's failures.

* Crowley from ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'' has worked his way from a demonic salesman to the King of Hell by working his way into various situations, betraying those he works with and being fully willing to subvert situations to his benefit. He takes advantage of Dean and Sam's wish to kill Lucifer to aid them while keeping his involvement secret. Crowley later uses Sam and Dean to defeat Lucifer, and takes the opportunity to seize control of Hell by becoming its king. Crowley spends the next few seasons playing up and shifting alliances with various characters, always ready to seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

* One of Wrestling/{{Edge}}'s {{Red Baron}}s is "The Ultimate Opportunist." He earned it by saving his Wrestling/MoneyInTheBank contract (the first ever, no less) for a rainy day - e.g., if [[Wrestling/JohnCena the then-Champion]] was weak after an Wrestling/EliminationChamber match.

* Benny from ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. The BigBadWannabe of the game, Benny wants to seize the city of New Vegas for his own but has little in the way of actual planning ability. In the backstory, he killed the chief of his tribe in a duel to the death and supplanted him because the former leader wanted their people to remain nomadic rather than take the more profitable route of joining the New Vegas leadership. Though nominally aligned with New Vegas's "autocrat," Mr. House, Benny really craved more power and had one of Mr. House's securitrons reprogrammed to spill all of Mr. House's secrets. The securitron, Yes-Man, told Benny about a platinum computer chip that could be used to upgrade the securitrons of New Vegas into unstoppable killing-machines, and then formulated plans on how Benny could foil Mr. House's plans while hijacking the platinum chip for Benny's own use. Benny was an ambitious man who forged alliances as often as he [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder broke them]], but it's made abundantly clear that he was only a danger because he leeched off the plans of those smarter than himself, such as [[TheChessmaster Mr. House]] and [[HypercompetentSidekick Yes-Man]], for his own use.

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact that Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and in doing so risked a civil war in Ferelden even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] to RapePillageAndBurn the country. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will also go through with political marriages, such as she will to a Noble Human Grey Warden, seeing him as a popular figure. She'd even go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her beloved, late husband]], the very same man she'd also [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through where she rules alone]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants and do as they ask in return. The one exception to this is [[spoiler:marrying whoever personally executes her father.]] [[EveryoneHasStandards That is the one thing she will not do no matter the benefits.]]

* ''VideoGame/PeretEmHeruForThePrisoners'': Professor Tsuchida discovers a sprawling underground ruin beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza. Problem is, he's not supposed to be there, and doesn't want to alert the proper authorities and have them 'steal his glory'. Good thing there's a tour group passing by he can talk into joining him, spinning it as the chance of a lifetime... when really he's just looking for free labor, and unwitting meat shields he can use to get past the booby traps inside...

* Prince Zuko in the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. He's hellbent on capturing the Avatar to restore his former position in the Fire Nation, but unlike his {{Chessmaster}} sister, Azula, he never has a concrete plan in place for how he's going to accomplish it. He spends most of his time tracking Aang, winging it as he goes, teaming up with anyone from pirates to bounty hunters so long as it gives him an opportunity to capture Aang. Eventually, Iroh calls him out on his lack of longterm planning, pointing out the times he's nearly died because [[AndThenWhat he never thinks through what he should do after achieving his immediate goal.]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'':
** This is Darth Nihilus's ''modus operandi''. Unlike [[TheChessmaster Salem]], Nihilus doesn't think in the long term; preferring to sit back and wait for an opportunity to present itself as the situation develops around him.
** Cinder Fall is also this. [[spoiler:When Nihilus's spirit takes over Jaune's body and slaughters the heroes, she takes the opportunity to accelerate her plans. While most of Beacon is busy fighting Nihilus, she has the White Fang and Grimm attack the school and pick off the battered survivors.]]

** This is Darth Nihilus's ''modus operandi''. As opposed to [[TheChessmaster chessmasters]] like [[GreaterScopeVillain Salem]] and Darth Traya, Nihilus doesn't think in the long term; preferring to sit back and wait for an opportunity to present itself as the situation develops around him.

** Much like in canon, Cinder is also this. [[spoiler:When Nihilus's spirit performs a DemonicPossession on Jaune's body and goes on a rampage, she has no idea what's going on, but takes advantage of it nonetheless. While most of Beacon is busy fighting Darth Nihilus, she has the White Fang and Grimm attack the school and pick off the battered survivors of Nihilus's rampage.]]

* This is Darth Nihilus's ''modus operandi'' in the ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger''. As opposed to [[TheChessmaster chessmasters]] like [[GreaterScopeVillain Salem]] and Cinder, Nihilus doesn't think in the long term; preferring to sit back and wait for an opportunity to present itself as the situation develops around him.

* This is Darth Nihilus's ''modus operandi'' in the ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars'' crossover ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger''. In contrast to [[TheChessmaster chessmasters]] like [[GreaterScopeVillain Salem]] and his former mentor Traya, Nihilus doesn't think in the long term; preferring to sit back and wait for an opportunity to present itself as the situation develops around him.

* In ''[[FanFic/SovereignGFCOrigins Origins]]'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the Republic Intelligence Service's director slides into this territory. There's no evidence he or his organization knew that [[spoiler:the Flood]] was coming, but boy does he take advantage of it like no tomorrow, using it as an excuse to receive ever greater power along with increasingly-unaccountable budgets. He even implies in press conferences that yes, RISE [[TheChessmaster knew about this whole thing]] in advance to buy more credibility.

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'':

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and doing so risked a civil war in Ferelden even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] to RapePillageAndBurn the country. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will also go through with political marriages, such as she will to a Noble Human Grey Warden, seeing him as a popular figure. She'd even go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her beloved, late husband]], the very same man she'd also [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through where she rules alone]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants and do as they ask in return. The one exception to this is [[spoiler:marrying whoever personally executes her father.]] [[EveryoneHasStandards That is the one thing she will not do no matter the benefits.]]
* Darth Malak from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', who attempted to dispose of his former master Darth Revan by ordering his ship to fire on Revan's vessel while the latter was distracted. Despite Revan apparently perishing in the attack and Malak becoming the undisputed Dark Lord of the Sith, it's also established that the other Sith don't respect him since his actions are quite contrary to Sith principles: victories are supposed to show superior strength or cunning, thus strengthening the Sith as a whole; whereas cheap shots like Malak's only encourage ChronicBackstabbingDisorder which would prevent ''anything'' from getting done.

* According to WordOfGod for ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the main reason a handful of the Sunnyside toys instantly allied with [[BigBad Lotso]] and served as his henchmen when he took over the daycare center was just to claim whatever power came with the position. However, after the plush bear reveals himself to be an utterly soulless being with nothing but sheer contempt to everyone around him, they're quick to abandon him and switch sides.

* According to WordOfGod for ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the main reason a handful of the Sunnyside toys instantly allied with [[BigBad Lotso]] and served as his henchmen when he took over the daycare center was just to obtain whatever power came with the position. However, after the plush bear reveals himself to be an utterly soulless being with nothing but sheer contempt to everyone around him, they're quick to abandon him and switch sides.