History Main / OptOut

* ''Film/BoyzNTheHood'' is particularly unusual in that [[spoiler:the Opt Out is the right choice. By refusing to fight the gangbangers who killed Ricky, Tre allows himself to escape from the CycleOfRevenge and start a new life. Doughboy fights them without him, and kills them all, but is murdered in turn two weeks later.]]

* In ''VideoGame/FistOfTheNorthStarLostParadise'', after Jagi's finally disposed of and Airi freed from his influence, Rei chooses to leave Eden with his sister in tow, since there's no further reason for him to stay around. This turned out to be a wise decision, as [[HeroKiller R]][[TheDreaded a]][[WorthyOpponent o]][[MightMakesRight h]] shows up soon afterwards, right before the final chapter[[spoiler:(s)]].

** In the ''New Vestroia act'', Runo and Julie decide not to participate in the battle with the BigBad because Tigrerra and Gorem haven't evolved yet, and they would be putting them in danger.

* Used in-universe in the novel/series of light novels ''Literature/BraveStory''. In Wataru's video game, his favorite character, Neena the fairy, does this. Wataru, who didn't get the cutscene that hinted at her departure, had spent the whole time levelling her and had to start all over when he didn't have her for the final boss. Miyuki Miyabe [[ShownTheirWork definitely knows]] [[GuideDangIt what JRPGs are like.]]

* An odd example of this in the ''main character'' is Son Goku in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. At the end of the Cell Saga, Goku intentionally gave up his fight with Cell to let Gohan take the spotlight. When, at the end of it all, Goku was dead, he just as deliberately opted to ''not'' be revived with the Dragon Balls, for fear of attracting more trouble to Earth. Other examples are Chiaozu, who Tienshinhan made opt out of the fight with the Androids, and Yajirobe, who ''tried'' to do this in the Saiyan Saga but wound up getting caught up in things anyway.

* The final arcs of ''Manga/EdensZero'' feature Shiki getting his crew back together for the final battle after being [[PartyScattering scattered]] in the previous arc. The only one to decline the invitation is [[spoiler:Captain Connor, who had finally reunited with his long-lost wife after two separate timelines and wished to spend time with her.]]
* Jean Havoc announces his intention to Opt Out in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. He notes that his commanding officer Roy Mustang isn't going to get very far with a follower who is [[spoiler:paralyzed and unable to walk]], and rages that he should be left behind. Mustang concedes, but only to a point; he says he will leave Havoc behind but expects him to catch up. Not long after, he gets PutOnABus back to his hometown. [[spoiler:And then TheBusCameBack during the climax, when Havoc uses his family's simple general goods store to supply his friends with badly-needed weaponry and supplies. The endings of both the show and the manga show him regaining the use of his legs, too.]]

** Also, despite being asked to join by Luffy, [[spoiler:Jimbei]] decided not to (for the time being), because they had some unfinished business to do first. [[spoiler:We later find out those plans were to break ties with [[ResignationsNotAccepted Big Mom]]. He does so, but it isn't until the next arc that he finally arrives in time to join the Straw Hats]].
** After trying to pull the CowardlyLion shtick almost every time his friends stopped on a scary island or got into a really big battle, Usopp appeared to do this ''seriously'' during the Water 7 Arc. His refusal to fight happened on board the Sea Train because the Straw Hats were about to make themselves enemies of the World Government. [[spoiler: More so, he previously had a huge fight with Luffy, lost, split from the crew, and felt unworthy to show his face around them in humiliation. Usopp began to doubt his own strength after losing a fight on his own. Worse, the Merry was diagnosed as mortally damaged and the crew had to get a new ship. The way it appeared to Usopp was as though Luffy made a choice without his consent and it was like throwing away a friend to discard the Merry. When Luffy slipped up and told Usopp to leave if he didn't like the decision, it sparked Usopp's separation from the Straw Hats and a duel between him and Luffy]]. Completely averted when Usopp reappears in the guise of Sogeking -- he was simply too prideful to show his face to the crew after what happened. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Usopp later apologized for his actions and was [[InelegantBlubbering very, very tearfully]] welcomed back by Luffy.]]
** [[spoiler: [[ResignInProtest Admiral Sengoku]]]] does this, when [[spoiler: the [[SlaveToPR World Government]] says they aren't gonna tell the world about a ''huge'' threat.]]
** In the backstory, twenty kings banded together to form the World Government. Those kings went on to take their families and live in the Holy Land Mariejois, but one family opted out of that part of the plan and stayed in their own lands. The 19 other families went on to become the Celestial Dragons, one of the most [[StealthPun stellar]] examples of AristocratsAreEvil in fiction. The one family that opted out, [[spoiler: the Nefertari Family, continues to rule the kingdom of Alabasta]] to this day. Naturally, it is the only one that is genuinely kind.
* ''Literature/ShakuganNoShana'': Eita Tanaka eventually chooses normal life over supporting the Flame Haze after he very nearly loses the girl he loves due to the fighting. He even returns the seal that prevents him from being frozen when someone casts a seal. Most ultimately support his decision, though close friend Keisaku argues with him over it briefly.
* [[spoiler:Keroyon]] of ''Manga/TwentiethCenturyBoys'' [[RefusalOfTheCall ignored Kenji's call to action]] to fight Friend. He regretted this years later and JumpedAtTheCall when he stumbled into leads to Kenji's sister.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', Jack, Crow, and Yusei said this when Kiryu tried to get Team Satisfaction to make a last stand against Sector Security.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZexal'', this causes Gilag's plan to [[GoneHorriblyWrong screw up royally]]. In one episode. He tries to trap Yuma by holding a team dueling tournament. However, Shark gets fed up halfway through and leaves, which forces Gilag to be Yuma's partner against Tori and Cathy, something he ''really'' didn't want to do. (A Barian would die if he lost to a duelist using a Chaos Xyz, like the one that he gave Tori to use against Yuma.) Fortunately for Gilag, he and Yuma win, but this would be the last time the other Barians trust him with a plan to defeat Yuma.
* In ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', Kazuma Kuwabara doesn't even participate in the last story arc. This is even though he ended up being the strongest human alive [[spoiler:and the [[BadassNormal only human]] in the hero's main group]] by the time the arc started. Of course, in this series, [[CantCatchUp that didn't mean much anyway]].

--> '''Zao:''' I followed the Force and never took sides.
* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} briefly quit the X-Men in the first arc, due to Beast nearly getting killed saving the President's Daughter.

* During the ball in [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8902209/1/Masquerade Masquerade]], Zakuro’s stress about her career and [[spoiler: secret war against the aliens]] seem to reach the limit [[spoiler: with her reflecting about her life and coming close to a breakdown]], in a [[NightmareFuel creepy realistic way]], makes her go away with Pai. In the end [[spoiler: we don’t know what happens to them next, but the general feeling is that Zakuro and Pai won’t fight anymore]]. [[spoiler: It’s kinda implicit that Pai loves her as well]].

[[folder:Film]]

* PlayedForLaughs towards the end of ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}''. Wade is tooling up to face the villain holding his ex-girlfriend hostage. [[NonActionGuy Weasel]] helps him gather his guns then solemnly tells Wade that he'd go with him....he just doesn't ''want'' to. Wade accepts this and goes to recruit some X-Men for back-up instead.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'' books [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Six]] and [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Seven]], Harry ''tries'' to convince his friends to do this, but they refuse.

* In Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{It}}'', Stan Uris dramatically (and lethally) opts out of the final confrontation with the titular monster by climbing into a bathtub and slitting his own wrists.

* [[spoiler:Bobby Pendragon himself]] pulls a dramatic one of these at the end of ''[[Literature/ThePendragonAdventure The Pilgrims of Rayne]]'' by [[spoiler: blowing up his only door off the territory, cutting himself off but trapping the bad guy with him, with the full intention of staying there forever. It doesn't stick.]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Lorne (The Host) Opted Out in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' finale "[[Recap/AngelS05E22NotFadeAway Not Fade Away]]": he said he'd do the one thing ([[spoiler:kill Lindsey]]) but wouldn't come back for the big fight at the end. Partially done to show his disgust at [[MoralEventHorizon what they asked him to do.]]

* In the short lived reality show ''Cha$e'', this was an option to the players when brought up in the middle of the game with a small cash prize as a consolation.

** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E6FuryFromTheDeep Fury From the Deep]]", Victoria, a companion of the Second Doctor, grew tired of a life of adventure and chose to stay in 1960s Earth with a family who was willing to take her in.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks Resurrection of the Daleks]]", Tegan Jovanka, a companion of the Fifth Doctor, left after a traumatic experience with the Daleks, citing that "It just wasn't fun anymore."
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords Last of the Time Lords]]", the Tenth Doctor companion Martha Jones left both to care for her family after an encounter with the Master and having realized her own feelings for the Doctor were unrequited and he was still fixated on Rose Tyler.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': In "Second Sons", when Arya thinks he's taking her back to King's Landing, Sandor makes it clear he's no longer allied with the Lannisters:
--> '''Sandor:''' Fuck Joffrey! Fuck the Queen!

* In the "Amy's Baking Company" episode of the American edition of ''Series/KitchenNightmares'', Gordon Ramsay got so sick of the [[SmallNameBigEgo stubborn and egotistical owners]] that he figured helping them was a waste of time and left for the first time in the show's history.

%% In ''Series/{{Primeval}}'', Jenny resigned midway through Season 3.
* Rimmer from ''Series/RedDwarf'' does this all. The. Time.
** Even when no-one offers him the ''chance'' to opt out. He's got a longer yellow streak than a herd of diarrhetic camels.

* If you choose not to accept [[spoiler: Morrigan's Dark Ritual]] before the final battle of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', [[spoiler: Morrigan]] will decide ScrewThisImOuttaHere and leave. Also, if you choose to spare and [[spoiler: recruit Loghain at the Landsmeet]], near the end of the game, [[spoiler: Alistair will be outraged and see him as a KarmaHoudini]], and will leave. [[spoiler: If he has been hardened, you may be able to convince him to stay as king; otherwise, he will become a homeless drunk or be executed.]]

* Just before the final leg of the story in ''VideoGame/KaneAndLynch'', Thapa declares "ScrewThisImOuttaHere."
* In ''VideoGame/FistOfTheNorthStarLostParadise'', after Jagi's finally disposed of and Airi freed from his influence, Rei chooses to leave Eden with his sister in tow, since there's no further reason for him to stay around. This turned out to be a wise decision, as [[HeroKiller R]][[TheDreaded a]][[WorthyOpponent o]][[MightMakesRight h]] shows up soon afterwards, right before the final chapter[[spoiler:(s)]].

* Happens in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' at the start of [[WhamEpisode "The Culling"]]. Arthas issues a grave ultimatum to Uther: help him to purge Stratholme of its infected citizenry or leave the kingdom's service. Uther and his followers leave, with Uther telling Arthas that he is crossing a terrible line. Jaina also leaves Arthas' side, telling him she can't watch him do it. In the end, it's just Arthas and his men performing the grisly task of killing innocent people before Mal'Ganis can convert them into zombies.

* On a smaller scale, see the page quote above from ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. The joke in that scene is that ''all'' the minions had suffered some kind of ForcedTransformation, yet only the cow even asks to Opt Out, despite Yzma being clearly willing to allow it.
* Done by [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''. When the League doesn't live up to his expectations (Marvel's so idealistic he makes [[Franchise/{{Superman}} the Blue Boy Scout]] look cynical), he [[WhatTheHellHero tells them how disappointed he is]] and resigns.
** This is a result of RealLifeWritesThePlot; the show's writers had difficulty securing the rights to use Captain Marvel characters in the series and were only able to get Marvel's rights for a single episode, so he had to be ousted from the series. Aside from a brief mention of Black Adam later, no Captain Marvel-related character ever appeared again.
* Muir in ''WesternAnimation/ObanStarRacers'', upon learning the Ultimate Prize would not fulfill the goal he entered the Great Race of Oban for, is the only racer to ''not'' show up for the final contest.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Return of the Lord of the Rings to the Two Towers", Token volunteers to watch the One Tape to see what's wrong with it, and then quits playing due to the trauma (unknown to any of them, the tape is a ''porn film'' they got by mistake. All of the villains they encounter are horny teens out to get it because the rental guy gave it to the kids by mistake and it's the last one in the store).
* In the film [[WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime Predacons Rising]], after [[spoiler: Megatron is freed from being enslaved by Unicron]], he claims to no longer have the stomach for conquest and appears to leave Cybertron for parts unknown.
* It was also parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' where agents assigned to guarding a yard sale were given the "leave now" speech, and then the one guy that left was killed.

** Anya in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E22GraduationDayPart2 Graduation Day Part 2]]". The fact that she doesn't do this in fifth or seventh seasons is used to show her moral growth.

* Unless you managed to get the GoldenEnding during the LastSecondEndingChoice in ''VideoGame/TriangleStrategy, one of the {{Deuteragonist}}s ends up opting out because the decision made goes completely against their ideals. [[spoiler:Frederica leaves because Roland's plan to capitulate to Hyzanthe leaves her people oppressed. Benedict leaves because Frederica's plan to free her people will mean the end of the Wolffort House. Roland leaves because Benedict plans to ally with Aesfrost and Roland hates Aesfrost for what they've done.]]

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Eita Tanaka eventually chooses normal life over supporting the Flame Haze after he very nearly loses the girl he loves due to the fighting. He even returns the seal that prevents him from being frozen when someone casts a seal. Most ultimately support his decision, though close friend Keisaku argues with him over it briefly.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'' has an instance of this when Bucciarati draws a LineInTheSand and [[spoiler:breaks ties with Diavolo]], Fugo, unable to bring himself to join one side or the other, walks out. The out-of-universe reason for this is either because Araki realized that Fugo's Purple Haze was a ridiculously strong StoryBreakerPower and needed a way to maintain dramatic tension, or because he initially intended Fugo to be TheMole of the group but changed his mind after feeling it was too depressing.

* Jean Havoc announces his intention to Opt Out in the manga/''Brotherhood'' storyline of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist.'' He notes that his commanding officer Roy Mustang isn't going to get very far with a follower who is [[spoiler:paralyzed and unable to walk]], and rages that he should be left behind. Mustang concedes, but only to a point; he says he will leave Havoc behind but expects him to catch up. Not long after, he gets PutOnABus back to his hometown. [[spoiler:And then TheBusCameBack during the climax, when Havoc uses his family's simple general goods store to supply his friends with badly-needed weaponry and supplies. The endings of both the show and the manga show him regaining the use of his legs, too.]]

** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13LastOfTheTimeLords Last of the Time Lords]]", the Tenth Doctor companion Martha Jones left both to care for her family after an encounter with the Master and having realized her own feelings for the Doctor were unrequited and he was still fixated on Rose Tyler.

* On a smaller scale, see the page quote above from ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. The joke in that scene is that ''all'' the minions had suffered some kind of BalefulPolymorph, yet only the cow even asks to Opt Out, despite Yzma being clearly willing to allow it.

* This is what [[spoiler:Wave and Kurome of the Jaegers]] in ''Manga/AkameGaKill'' ultimately choose to do after their final battle with Night Raid. [[spoiler:Despite the fact Wave managed to [[DualWielding combine his Teigu with that of his best friend Run]], [[TookALevelInBadass fight Tatsumi to a draw]]]], and realize just how corrupt the Empire he serves really is, he refuses to side with the Rebellion when offered the chance so as [[IGaveMyWord to avoid breaking his promise to the man who saved his life]] and to take care of [[spoiler:[[LoveInterest Kur]][[IllGirl ome]]. Kurome originally refuses, but after Wave [[TheBigDamnKiss returns her feelings]] and [[WreckedWeapon destroys Yatsufusa]] she agrees to go with him]]. Night Raid lets them go [[spoiler:both for the fact that Wave was the TokenGoodTeammate of the Jaegers and because it meant Akame wouldn't have to worry about [[KillTheOnesYouLove killing her little sister]], something that she had been dreading for the entire story]].

* ''Film/DCTheNewFrontier'': Captain Marvel, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, the Spectre, and the Phantom Stranger decide to wait out the battle against the Centre by going to the Moon and letting the new heroes decide things. The others are a bit reluctant, but the Stranger persuades them it isn't their place to intervene until they know mankind cares about heroes again, and that it's the new heroes who can show that.

** [[spoiler: Admiral Sengoku]] does this, when [[spoiler: the World Government says they aren't gonna tell the world about a ''huge'' threat.]]

** Also, despite being asked to join by Luffy, [[spoiler:Jimbei]] decided not to (for the time being), because they had some unfinished business to do first. [[spoiler:We later find out those plans were to break ties with Big Mom. He does so, but it isn't until the next arc that he finally arrives in time to join the Straw Hats]].

* Happens in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' at the start of [[WhamEpisode "The Culling"]]. Arthas issues a grave ultimatum to Uther: help him to purge Stratholme of its infected citizenry or leave the kingdom's service. Uther and his followers leave, with Uther telling Arthas that he is crossing a terrible line. Jaina also leaves Arthas' side, telling him she can't watch him do it. In the end, it's just Arthas and his men performing the grisly task of killing innocent people before Mal'Ganis can convert them into zombies.

** Anya in "[[Recpa/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E22GraduationDayPart2 Graduation Day Part 2]]". The fact that she doesn't do this in fifth or seventh seasons is used to show her moral growth.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureVentoAureo'' has an instance of this when Bucciarati draws a LineInTheSand and [[spoiler:breaks ties with Diavolo]], Fugo, unable to bring himself to join one side or the other, walks out. The out-of-universe reason for this is either because Araki realized that Fugo's Purple Haze was a ridiculously strong StoryBreakerPower and needed a way to maintain dramatic tension, or because he initially intended Fugo to be TheMole of the group but changed his mind after feeling it was too depressing.

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Eita Tanaka eventually chooses normal life over supporting the Flame Haze after he very nearly loses the girl he loves due to the fighting. He even returns the seal that prevents him from being frozen when someone casts a seal. Most ultimately support his decision, though close friend Keisaku argues with him over it briefly.

** After trying to pull the CowardlyLion shtick almost every time his friends stopped on a scary island or got into a really big battle, Usopp appeared to do this ''seriously'' during the Water 7 Arc. His refusal to fight happened on board the Sea Train because the Straw Hats were about to make themselves enemies of the World Government. [[spoiler: More so, he previously had a huge fight with Luffy, lost, split from the crew, and felt unworthy to show his face around them in humiliation. Usopp began to doubt his own strength after losing a fight on his own. Worse, the Merry was diagnosed as mortally damaged and the crew had to get a new ship. The way it appeared to Usopp was as though Luffy made a choice without his consent and it was like throwing away a friend to discard the Merry. When Luffy slipped up and told Usopp to leave if he didn't like the decision, it sparked Usopp's separation from the Straw Hats and a duel between him and Luffy]]. Completely averted when Usopp reappears in the guise of Sogeking- he was simply too prideful to show his face to the crew after what happened. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Usopp later apologized for his actions and was [[InelegantBlubbering very, very tearfully]] welcomed back by Luffy.]]

* Used in-universe in the novel/series of light novels ''Literature/BraveStory''. In Wataru's video game, his favorite character, Neena the fairy, does this. Wataru, who didn't get the cutscene that hinted at her departure, had spent the whole time levelling her and had to start all over when he didn't have her for the final boss. Miyuki Miyabe [[ShownTheirWork definitely knows]] [[GuideDangIt what JRPGs are like.]]

* [[spoiler:Fumie]] in ''Anime/DenNohCoil'', after an encounter with Illegals towards the end, tells Yasako she wants nothing more to do with researching them. From then on Yasako ends up working alongside [[spoiler:Isako]]. It's understandable, she's an eleven-year-old girl who's become increasingly frightened of Illegals. It also highlights a major theme of the series, that there's a space between peoples' connections that can be hard to cross, even between friends.
* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'', Kuzzey and ten other crewmembers do this when the Archangel decides to defend Orb against the Atlantic Federation, and TheCaptain had given anyone who didn't want to fight against their former army the chance to leave. He actually tries to go back on it when he finds out that Miriallia and Sai aren't leaving, but Sai convinces him to leave since he'd not the type that's suited to battle.
* The ''Manga/LiarGame'' literally banks on this, as those in charge of the game make their profits by requiring any winners wanting to Opt Out to forfeit half of their winnings to do so.
* [[spoiler:Keroyon]] of ''Manga/TwentiethCenturyBoys'' [[RefusalOfTheCall ignored Kenji's call to action]] to fight Friend. He regretted this years later and JumpedAtTheCall when he stumbled into leads to Kenji's sister.
* In the third Sound Stage of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', Subaru gets a visit from her father in the hospital, who suggests that she withdraw from the case now that [[spoiler:her sister Ginga has been kidnapped]]. Subaru, however, insists on fighting to finish what she's started, and her father respects her decision, making this an aversion.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'''s Danzo gets alot of guff for choosing to avoid [[SenselessSacrifice senselessly throwing his life away]] by charging in headfirst when current BigBad Pain attacks Konoha. He not only avoided fighting Pain but actually attempted to prevent Naruto from returning as well, on the (totally accurate) basis that Naruto would be unable to stop Pain.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', Jack, Crow, and Yusei said this when Kiryu tried to get Team Satisfaction to make a last stand against Sector Security.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZexal'', this causes Gilag's plan to [[GoneHorriblyWrong screw up royally]]. In one episode. He tries to trap Yuma by holding a team dueling tournament. However, Shark gets fed up halfway through and leaves, which forces Gilag to be Yuma's partner against Tori and Cathy, something he ''really'' didn't want to do. (A Barian would die if he lost to a duelist using a Chaos Xyz, like the one that he gave Tori to use against Yuma.) Fortunately for Gilag, he and Yuma win, but this would be the last time the other Barians trust him with a plan to defeat Yuma.
* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureVentoAureo'' has an instance of this when Bucciarati draws a LineInTheSand and [[spoiler:breaks ties with Diavolo]], Fugo, unable to bring himself to join one side or the other, walks out. The out-of-universe reason for this is either because Araki realized that Fugo's Purple Haze was a ridiculously strong StoryBreakerPower and needed a way to maintain dramatic tension, or because he initially intended Fugo to be TheMole of the group but changed his mind after feeling it was too depressing.
* Jean Havoc announces his intention to Opt Out in the manga/''Brotherhood'' storyline of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist.'' He notes that his commanding officer Roy Mustang isn't going to get very far with a follower who is [[spoiler:paralyzed and unable to walk]], and rages that he should be left behind. Mustang concedes, but only to a point; he says he will leave Havoc behind but expects him to catch up. Not long after, he gets PutOnABus back to his hometown. [[spoiler:And then TheBusCameBack during the climax, when Havoc uses his family's simple general goods store to supply his friends with badly-needed weaponry and supplies. The endings of both the show and the manga show him regaining the use of his legs, too.]]
* This is what [[spoiler:Wave and Kurome of the Jaegers]] in ''Manga/AkameGaKill'' ultimately choose to do after their final battle with Night Raid. [[spoiler:Despite the fact Wave managed to [[DualWielding combine his Teigu with that of his best friend Run]], [[TookALevelInBadass fight Tatsumi to a draw]]]], and realize just how corrupt the Empire he serves really is, he refuses to side with the Rebellion when offered the chance so as [[IGaveMyWord to avoid breaking his promise to the man who saved his life]] and to take care of [[spoiler:[[LoveInterest Kur]][[IllGirl ome]]. Kurome originally refuses, but after Wave [[TheBigDamnKiss returns her feelings]] and [[WreckedWeapon destroys Yatsufusa]] she agrees to go with him]]. Night Raid lets them go [[spoiler:both for the fact that Wave was the TokenGoodTeammate of the Jaegers and because it meant Akame wouldn't have to worry about [[KillTheOnesYouLove killing her little sister]], something that she had been dreading for the entire story]].
* In the later chapters of ''Manga/{{Nisekoi}},'' many of the girls seeking Raku's affection start to drop out of the running for Raku. It falls short of IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy as the girls are ending their pursuits as much for their own sakes, having realized Raku does not feel the same towards them, as much as for someone else's, such as [[spoiler:Tsugumi bowing out for Chitoge's sake]].
* Happens at least twice in ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'':
** In the ''New Vestroia act'', Runo and Julie decide not to participate in the battle with the BigBad because Tigrerra and Gorem haven't evolved yet, and they would be putting them in danger.
** In the ''Mechtanium Surge'' arc, when Gunz because Wiseman 2 and recruits the Nonets to battle Mechtanium Destroyer, Worton flees to the Doom Dimension, knowing it's a fight they can't win.
--->'''Worton:''' This is one fight I don't think we can win. I don't relish the idea of an eternity in the Doom Dimension, but it's preferable to being blown to smithereens.

* PlayedForLaughs towards the end of ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}''. Wade is tooling up to face the villain holding his ex-girlfriend hostage. [[NonActionGuy Weasel]] helps him gather his guns then solemnly tells Wade that he'd go with him....he just doesn't ''want'' to. Wade accepts this and goes to recruit some X-Men for back-up instead.

* [[spoiler:Bobby Pendragon himself]] pulls a dramatic one of these at the end of ''[[Literature/ThePendragonAdventure The Pilgrims of Rayne]]'' by [[spoiler: blowing up his only door off the territory, cutting himself off but trapping the bad guy with him, with the full intention of staying there forever. It doesn't stick.]]
* Stu Redmond in ''Literature/TheStand'' is forced to Opt Out of the final confrontation when he's injured during the trek to Vegas.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'' books [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Six]] & [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Seven]], Harry ''tries'' to convince his friends to do this, but they refuse.

* Rimmer from ''Series/RedDwarf'' does this all. The. Time.
** Even when no-one offers him the ''chance'' to opt out. He's got a longer yellow streak than a herd of diarrhetic camels.

* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete'': When little Pete and his friends decide to answer the payphone that's been ringing for almost thirty years (and has most of the townspeople frightened), his friends start to drop out for various reasons- one says he's caught in a force field, and another says she's just too chicken.
%% In ''Series/{{Primeval}}'', Jenny resigned midway through Season Three.
* Throughout its long run, many of the Doctor's companions in ''Series/DoctorWho'' have opted to leave the TARDIS with the desire to go home or pursue new opportunities. A few notable cases:
** The First Doctor companions Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E8TheChase The Chase]]". At the end of a long pursuit by the Daleks, the Doctor and his companions have the Daleks' time machine as well as the TARDIS. Ian and Barbara ask the Doctor to help them use the Dalek machine, at that point more reliable than the TARDIS, to return to their own home.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E6FuryFromTheDeep Fury From the Deep]]", Victoria, a companion of the Second Doctor, grew tired of a life of adventure and chose to stay in 1960s Earth with a family who was willing to take her in.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks Resurrection of the Daleks]]", Tegan Jovanka, a companion of the Fifth Doctor, left after a traumatic experience with the Daleks, citing that "It just wasn't fun anymore."
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13LastOfTheTimeLords Last of the Time Lords]]", the Tenth Doctor companion Martha Jones left both to care for her family after an encounter with the Master and having realized her own feelings for the Doctor were unrequited and he was still fixated on Rose Tyler.

* Happens in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' at the start of [[WhamEpisode "The Culling"]]. Arthas issues a grave ultimatum to Uther: help him to purge Stratholme of its infected citizenry or leave the kingdom's service. Uther and his followers leave, with Uther telling Arthas that he is crossing a terrible line. Jaina also leaves Arthas' side, telling him she can't watch him do it. In the end, it's just Arthas and his men performing the grisly task of killing innocent people before Mal'Ganis can convert them into zombies.

* Muir in ''WesternAnimation/ObanStarRacers'', upon learning the Ultimate Prize would not fulfill the goal he entered the Great Race of Oban for, is the only racer to ''not'' show up for the final contest.

* It was also parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' where agents assigned to guarding a yard sale were given the "leave now" speech, and then the one guy that left was killed.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Return of the Lord of the Rings to the Two Towers", Token volunteers to watch the One Tape to see what's wrong with it, and then quits playing due to the trauma (unknown to any of them, the tape is a ''porn film'' they got by mistake. All of the villains they encounter are horny teens out to get it because the rental guy gave it to the kids by mistake and it's the last one in the store).

* An odd example of this in the ''main character'' is Son Goku in ''Anime/DragonballZ.'' At the end of the Cell Saga, Goku intentionally gave up his fight with Cell to let Gohan take the spotlight. When, at the end of it all, Goku was dead, he just as deliberately opted to ''not'' be revived with the Dragon Balls, for fear of attracting more trouble to Earth. Other examples are Chiaozu, who Tienshinhan made opt out of the fight with the Androids, and Yajirobe, who ''tried'' to do this in the Saiyan Saga but wound up getting caught up in things anyway.

** Also, despite being asked to join by Luffy, [[spoiler: Jimbei]] decided not to (for the time being), because they had some unfinished business to do first. [[spoiler: We later find out those plans were to break ties with Big Mom.]]

* Happens in ''VideoGame/WarCraftIII'' at the start of [[WhamEpisode "The Culling"]]. Arthas issues a grave ultimatum to Uther: help him to purge Stratholme of its infected citizenry or leave the kingdom's service. Uther and his followers leave, with Uther telling Arthas that he is crossing a terrible line. Jaina also leaves Arthas' side, telling him she can't watch him do it. In the end, it's just Arthas and his men performing the grisly task of killing innocent people before Mal'Ganis can convert them into zombies.

Also compare ChangedMyMindKid, which many characters who ''appear'' to Opt Out ultimately pull. However, this trope is specific to when a character Opts Out and ''means'' it. Also compare IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy, which can be a romantic version of Opting Out. Crossing a LineInTheSand is the version where the leader gives their people the option to opt-out without dishonor before engaging on a deadly mission. See also YouCanTurnBack, when the Hero tries to convince his companions to Opt Out. Finally, see ScrewThisImOuttaHere for a generally negative take on Opting Out, usually because it occurs at the worst possible moment or in an act of pure cowardice.

* On a smaller scale, see the page quote above from ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. The joke in that scene is that ''all'' the minions had suffered some kind of BalefulPolymorph, yet only the cow even asks to Opt Out, despite Yzma being clearly willing to allow it. In a way though, it's understandable for the guy—cows are ''female''.