History Main / OrderVersusChaos

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'', the Interstellar Wars are very much about the conflict between "order" and "chaos". The Vilani Empire is about ten thousand years old and has done almost nothing new in thousands of years. Yet at the same time, it has highly refined all its techniques and technology and has a political system designed to keep order. It is sometimes oppressive, but it holds thousands of worlds together. The Terran Confederation has a more or less democratic structure, as well as a large number of only half-controlled [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]] and SpaceCossacks pushing into the Vilani Imperium.
** The Zhodani and the Vargr represent a much more extreme example of "Order versus Chaos" confrontation. Zhodani nobles use their psionics to maintain a vaguely Orwellian police state while the Vargr have an extremely fragmented society where authority is based on "Charisma".

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' the Intersteller Wars are very much a war between "order" and "chaos". The Vilani Empire is about ten thousand years old and has done almost nothing new in thousands of years. Yet at the same time it has highly refined all it's techniques and technology and has a political system designed to keep order. It is sometimes oppressive but it holds thousands of worlds together. The Terran Confederation has a more or less democratic order and it has large numbers of only half-controlled [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]] and SpaceCossacks pushing in to the Vilani Imperium.
** By the time that most Traveller campaigns take place the interstellar wars are ancient history, the Terrans defeated the Vilani First Imperium and founded the Second Imperium which collapsed after less than 500 years. The Third Imperium is ruled by a blend of Vilani and [[strike:Terrans]] Solomani and is a little more balanced than either of the last two.
** The Zhodani and Vargr are more extreme examples of Order versus Chaos. Zhodani nobles use their psionics to maintain a vaguely Orwellain police state while the Vargr have a extremely fragmented society where authority is based on "Charisma".

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' the Intersteller Wars are very much a war between "order" and "chaos" . The Vilani Empire is about ten thousand years old and has done almost nothing new in thousands of years. Yet at the same time it has highly refined all it's techniques and technology and has a political system designed to keep order. It is sometimes oppressive but it holds thousands of worlds together. The Terran Confederation has a more or less democratic order and it has large numbers of only half-controlled [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]] and SpaceCossacks pushing in to the Vilani Imperium.

** The ''Nemesis'' expansion provides the opportunity to reform the [[FictionalUnitedNations Galactic Community]] into the [[TheEmpire Galactic Imperium]]. In case of a significant weakening of the Imperium's authority, it is very likely that a large-scale uprising will begin, which can quickly turn into an all-galactic CivilWar between two hostile coalitions. Conceptually, this conflict directly refers to this trope, since the [[HegemonicEmpire loyalists]] defend the Imperium as a bulwark of stability, unity, and development of the galaxy, as well as peace in it, while the [[TheAlliance rebels]] want to return to a much more democratic format of the Galactic Community, [[GoodRepublicEvilEmpire accusing the Imperium of tyranny and oppression]]. The war between them can end in victory for either side, or with the signing of a peace treaty, which will lead to the political independence of the two power blocs from each other, and also to a continuation of their conflict in the [[SpaceColdWar cold war manner]].

** The ''Nemesis'' expansion provides the opportunity to reform the [[FictionalUnitedNations Galactic Community]] into the [[TheEmpire Galactic Imperium]]. In case of a significant weakening of the Imperium's authority, it is very likely that a large-scale uprising will begin, which can quickly turn into an all-galactic CivilWar between two hostile coalitions. Conceptually, this conflict directly refers to this trope, since the [[HegemonicEmpire loyalists]] defend the Imperium as a bulwark of stability, unity and development of the Galaxy, as well as peace in it, while the [[TheAlliance rebels]] want to return to a much more democratic format of the Galactic Community, [[GoodRepublicEvilEmpire accusing the Imperium of tyranny and oppression]]. The war between them can end in victory for either side, or with the signing of a peace treaty, which will lead to the political independence of the two power blocs from each other, and also to a continuation of their conflict in the [[SpaceColdWar cold war manner]].

* Tanya von Degurechaff of ''LightNovel/SagaOfTanyaTheEvil'' maintains neutrality in this debate, saying that that freedom without regulation leads to anarchy; while regulation without freedom leads to tyranny.

* The famous GreenRocks of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', are called the ''Chaos'' Emeralds. They wasted a perfectly bland plot in the scrapped game ''Sonic X-Treme'', which would have featured the Rings of ''Order''.

* ''Literature/WraithKnight'': The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil. The Lawgiver represents order with its tyranny, expansionism, and religious control. The Trickster by contrast represents freedom, chaos, and resistance. [[spoiler: It's subverted when it's revealed that it is the Lawgiver and his brother RunningBothSides.]]

* ''Series/BabylonFive'' had the Vorlons and the Shadows. Originally they were portrayed as GoodVersusEvil (Vorlons projecting angelic images of themselves vs. the demonic and fear-inducing Shadows). [[spoiler: Later, their millena-old conflict is revealed as rival philosophies run amok: the Vorlons believe the best way to promote growth among the younger races is through order and obedience, while the Shadows believe evolution is best served through chaos and conflict. The Vorlons and Shadows are eventually revealed to be similar, with both groups trying to force the younger races to choose a side or die.]] The idea was taken from Babylonian mythology, hence the name of the show. [[spoiler: Sheridan ultimately has to lead the younger races into collectively telling BOTH sides where they can stick their rival philosophies, and to go away and leave the younger races alone to make their own choices.]]

* Judging vs. Perceiving preference pair in UsefulNotes/MyersBriggs tests. Judgers prefer more order in interactions and frequently lay out plans, Perceivers have more flexible rules and do not keep plans as much.

** ''ComicBook/{{Nameless}}'' is a CosmicHorrorStory in which a monstrous, otherworldly intelligence has been imprisoned in our universe and punishes anyone who dares defy its whims—in other words, according to Morrison, it's [[spoiler:the Christian God, ultimate symbol of order]].

* The Music/{{Rush}} song "Cygnus X-1: Book II" is about this. It details a war between Apollo (who brings wisdom and order) and Dionysus (of love and chaos) that decimates the human followers. This is ended when [[BrickJoke the astronaut from Book I]] (at the end of the previous album) shows up and tells of how he has existed after plunging into the titular black hole. They dub him Cygnus The God of Balance as a result.

* ''TabletopGame/{{FATAL}}''. It stresses that neither is actually related to good or evil. [[YouKeepUsingThatWord It also calls Order "ethical" and Chaos "unethical"]] in the CharacterAlignment section. You may [[SarcasticClapping clap sarcastically]] whenever you like.

* The [[GrandFinale final Splatfest]] of ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' was themed around this, with Pearl championing Team Chaos while Marina lead Team Order. Rather than influence the next game's story mode, as the final Splatfest of the first game did for ''Splatoon 2'', ''Splatoon 3'' would use [[spoiler:Chaos winning]] as the basis for its overall setting instead, shifting from Inkopolis to the more blatantly post-apocalyptic wasteland that is the Splatlands and its overcrowded hub city, Splatsville.

* Wiki/TVTropes: The epic struggle between JustForFun/{{SPOON}} and JustForFun/{{FORKS}} could be seen as this kind of conflict, with SPOON being order, and FORKS chaos. JustForFun/{{PLATTER}} and JustForFun/{{KNIVES}} represent two kinds of neutrality: balance and indifference, in respective order.

* ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' plays the conflict between MasterComputer [=GLaDOS=] and whimsical AI sidekick Wheatley as less Evil vs. Good and more as the aspect of game theory that pits a perfectly logical, experienced player against a completely random one who has no idea what he's doing, what the rules are, what the win condition is, etcetera. The random player can win not because he's good at the game, but because he's so unpredictable that the logical player cannot anticipate his moves. In fact, later in the game, Wheatley does a better job of [[spoiler:being an actual antagonist]] than [=GLaDOS=] ever did. Interestingly, the randomness doesn't always work in his favour because, well, it's random. [[spoiler:Even his "triumph" would have meant that ''everyone'' lost by ''dying'', instead of just him losing by being deposed.]]

** [[TheEmpire Ceasar's Legion]] is a brutal, totalitarian military state dependent on raiding weaker tribes (Evil Order). The New California Republic is an idealistic aspiring democracy ("Good" Order, though not immune to corruption or political exigency). There is no option to make them get along.

** The [[TakeAThirdOption fourth option]] is Mr. House, who's also Order (he desires control, but based on economic monopoly rather than Caesar's military conquest or the NCR's negotiation), but exploits the Chaos between Ceasar and the NCR.

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' had the Delightful Children From Down the Lane and their Father as Evil Order, and more widely, the adult world in general. Interestingly, the KND could themselves be highly KnightTemplar-ish, erasing the memories of their own operatives once they got "too old".

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. Candace ''thinks'' of herself as representing order but her own behavior is at least as chaotic as the boys. Played straighter with the regimented OWCA versus the whimsically evil Doofenshmitrz.

See also CharacterAlignment, where this is a major factor. See also AlikeAndAntitheticalAdversaries for other variants on this conflict. Can often be involved with the dilemma of HarmonyVersusDiscipline and NatureVersusTechnology. Visually represented on a smaller scale with SlobsVersusSnobs. Also not uncommon in {{Odd Couple}}s.

See also CharacterAlignment, where this is a major factor. See also AlikeAndAntitheticalAdversaries for other variants on this conflict. Can often be involved with the dilemma of HarmonyVersusDiscipline. Visually represented on a smaller scale with SlobsVersusSnobs. Also not uncommon in {{Odd Couple}}s.

** In the feature film ''The Book of Shadows'', the BigBad is a girl named Tegan, who is [[spoiler:revealed to be the personification of Chaos,]] and wishes to take revenge on "Bear", [[spoiler:the personfication of Order.]]

They're sometimes {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s, struggling with the whole world at stake, and don'tcha know, the hero's just the one that's got to pick [[CosmicChessGame between one or the other to serve]] [[TakeAThirdOption or choose neither one keep them balanced]] because BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous. When they're not actual forces, they're broad themes represented by the agenda of specific groups of people.

** The Ethos system originally featured, amongst others, the Collectivist-Individualist dichotomy. The exact ideology represented by any given ethic is left intentionally vague for roleplaying purposes, but from what could be gathered, Collectivists favoured autocratic governments and [[HappinessInSlavery didn't take happiness penalties from slavery]] and Individualists favoured democracies and personal liberty, gaining bonuses to energy production. This proved to be [[BrokenBase so controversial]] that the Collectivist-Individualist axis was eventually replaced entirely by a new Egalitarian-Authoritarian axis, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement and that is all we will say on the matter]].