History Main / SavedByTheAwesome

** In the ''Literature/LastHeraldMageTrilogy'', the heir and his love interest get married. Half the cast is appalled -- it means AltarDiplomacy is now off the table, for one -- but several wiser characters praise them for acting for themselves instead of being steered around.

This trope applies to specific examples. If the heroes are ''generally'' on the money but they disobey a high directive, they are likely to face some punishment, even if it's so mild as to suggest tacet approval for what they've done. In this trope, the punishment is ''explicitly'' waived because the rule-breakers were successful beyond everyone's expectations. Sometimes they may even be '''[[{{Unishment}} rewarded]]''' [[{{Unishment}} for their disobedience]], usually with a [[PromotionNotPunishment promotion]]. In this case, there's likely to be a MilhollandRelationshipMoment when the hero finally stands before her boss, without remorse but fully expecting to be sent packing. Compare SparingTheAces.

* Literature/HarryPotter
** In the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets second book]], Dumbledore ''tells him he broke about a hundred school rules'', then gives him an Award for Special Services to the School because saving Ginny and the rest of the school from Tom Riddle [[spoiler:(aka Voldemort)]] outweighed the rule breaking.

See also HeroInsurance, GetOutOfJailFreeCard, and WrongfulAccusationInsurance. Likely to be referenced when discussing ArsonMurderAndLifeSaving. May lead to a BerateAndSwitch.

* Commander Shepard from the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series makes his/her Spectre career out of this. In the first game s/he [[spoiler: hijacks the grounded Normandy SR-1 in order to pursue Saren. This prevents Sovereign from capturing the Citadel and starting the Reaper invasion in full-force]].

Now the end result must be sufficiently awesome to override the righteous fury that has built up in DaChief when his subordinate ignored protocol. Because hey, success is never blamed and victors aren't judged.

This trope applies to specific examples. In fiction, if the heroes are generally on the money but they disobey a high directive, they may still suffer some degree of recrimination, but still be allowed to continue on their way. In this trope, the awesome deed either cancels out punishment mostly or completely; ''and it is specifically stated as such''. In rare cases, this trope will show someone being '''[[{{Unishment}} rewarded]]''' [[{{Unishment}} for their disobedience]], usually with a [[PromotionNotPunishment promotion]]. In this case, there's especially likely to be a MilhollandRelationshipMoment between the hero and the boss whom they expected punishment from. Compare SparingTheAces.

This is the reason that the MilitaryMaverick and the CowboyCop have careers. This is how IDidWhatIHadToDo gets you off the hook (mostly). It's one thing to say ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight. But it's another thing, when doing the right thing actually WORKS.

Now the end result must be sufficiently awesome to override the righteous fury that has built up in DaChief when his subordinate flouted the rules. Because hey, success is never blamed and victors aren't judged.

** Wyldon of Cavall actually invokes this trope with Kel in ''Literature/ProtectorOfTheSmall'' He knows that she's too much of a MamaBear to leave her people to their fates, so he deliberately orders her not to go so she won't have to wait for authorization. Then, when she kills the man responsible for the killing machines, she gets commended rather than killed for desertion.

This trope applies to specific examples. In fiction, if the heroes are generally on the money but they disobey a high directive, they may still suffer some degree of recrimination, but still be allowed to continue on their way. In this trope, the awesome deed either cancels out punishment mostly or completely; ''and it is specifically stated as such''. In rare cases, this trope will show someone being '''[[{{Unishment}} rewarded]]''' [[{{Unishment}} for their disobedience]], usually with a [[PromotionNotPunishment promotion]] (check out the quote up top.) In this case, there's especially likely to be a MilhollandRelationshipMoment between the hero and the boss whom they expected punishment from. Compare SparingTheAces.

* In Creator/MercedesLackey works "It's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission" is practically a motto. And while her younger characters sometimes ''do'' have to grovel a bit afterward, they're just as likely to be applauded for showing agency and acting like adults.
** In ''Literature/TheLastHeraldMageTrilogy'', the heir and his love interest get married. Half the cast is appalled -- it means AltarDiplomacy is off the table, for one -- but several wiser characters praise them for acting for themselves instead of being steered around.
** In the [[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar Mage Storms trilogy]], several lower-deck characters quietly open communications with Grand Duke Tremane, who has taken possession of a neighboring country, in the interest of forming a multinational alliance to deal with the Mage Storms. Karsite priest Karal takes the worst of the backlash -- Tremane ordered the assassination of his mentor and one of High Priest Solaris's closest associates -- but Solaris ultimately backs off when she realizes he was right.

* In Creator/MercedesLackey works "It's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission" is practically a motto. And while her younger characters sometimes ''do'' have to grovel a bit afterward, they're just as likely to be applauded for showing agency and acting like adults.
** In ''Literature/TheLastHeraldMage'', the heir and his love interest get married. Half the cast is appalled -- it means AltarDiplomacy is off the table, for one -- but several wiser characters praise them for acting for themselves instead of being steered around.
** In the [[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar Mage Storms trilogy]], several lower-deck characters quietly open communications with Grand Duke Tremane, who has taken possession of a neighboring country, in the interest of forming a multinational alliance to deal with the Mage Storms. Karsite priest Karal takes the worst of the backlash -- Tremane ordered the assassination of his mentor and one of High Priest Solaris's closest associates -- but Solaris ultimately backs off when she realizes he was right.

* In Creator/MercedesLackey works "It's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission" is practically a motto. And while her younger characters sometimes ''do'' have to grovel a bit afterward, they're just as likely to be applauded for showing agency and acting like adults.

** Harry Dresden is able to get away with some BlackMagic in ''Literature/DeadBeat'' through a combination of LoopholeAbuse, [[IDidWhatIHadToDo necessity]], and the fact that [[spoiler:reanimating a ''TyrannosaurusRex'']] was so unspeakably ''awesome'' that even some of the Wardens were impressed.

* Admiral Yi Sun-sin was a Korean admiral during Korea's Joseon Dynasty. He was known for his ingenuity, including building an armored ship affectionately dubbed the "Turtle Ship" due to its shape. When it looked as though Japan was gearing up for an invasion, he was told to remain on land as the army got ready. He went ahead and ignored his orders and sent his much smaller fleet out to beat Japan. This was considered an act of treason and he was actually scheduled to be executed but the King was impressed (y'know, with him halting an entire invasion and all), so he kept him alive and in command of Korea's navy. Admiral Yi went on to kick the crap out of Japan's invading forces about thirty more times, [[CurbStompBattle/RealLife never losing a ship]].

* Lee Soon-Shin was a Korean admiral during Korea's Joseon Dynasty. He was known for his ingenuity, including building an armored ship affectionately termed the "Turtle Ship" due to its shape. When it looked as though Japan was gearing up for an invasion, he was told to remain on land as the army got ready. He went ahead and ignored his orders and sent his much smaller fleet out to beat Japan. This was considered an act of treason and he was actually scheduled to be executed but the King was impressed (y'know, with him halting an entire invasion and all), so he kept him alive and in command of Korea's navy. Admiral Lee went on to kick the crap out of Japan's invading forces about thirty more times.

->''"An airbender '''never''' attacks a defenseless opponent. ''[beat]'' But that was very good technique."''

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* In ''AudioPlay/StrikersSoundStageX'', Teana is nearly put on trial for [[spoiler:unwittingly collaborating with the terrorist mastermind]] but is let off with a warning thanks to her efforts in containing the damage caused by the incident.

** The granddaddy of these must be Captain James T. Kirk. As recounted in ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', he put this trope into action when he cheated on an Academy test, and rather than be kicked out, he was given a ''commendation''. For original thinking. It helped that the Academy test he 'cheated' on was an UnwinnableTrainingSimulation designed specifically to find out what a cadet does when faced with a scenario where all their choices are bad ones; Kirk's response to a no-win scenario was to improvise, think out of the box and use a few dirty tricks so he could TakeAThirdOption, which is exactly the kind of qualities Starfleet want in their officers.
** ''Film/StarTrek2009'' takes it farther, but first subverts it. Kirk is actually about to be kicked out for cheating on the test. But somehow he ends up on the Enterprise and tops his cheating with actually attempting a mutiny against Spock and disobeying the acting Captain's orders. Being that it was his disregard of orders that led to the defeat of the BigBad and the saving of (almost) every planet in the Federation, one can begin to see how he actually skips all the way to the Captain's chair at the end.

* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': Miles Vorkosigan manages this often in his career in [=ImpSec=]. Miles has a...problem with following orders, and those above constantly complain about his "excessive initiative" or curse him by wishing he one day commands someone "just like him". This trope is probably most notable in ''Literature/TheVorGame''. Miles is sent to a deadend position for just 6 months to prove he can follow orders, he comes home in 3 months [[spoiler:with a charge of treason]] but is forgiven because his refusal to keep his head down managed to [[spoiler:prevent a crazy near-homicidal commanding officer from allowing a group of techs that refused to obey his orders (to pointlessly risk themselves cleaning up a toxic spill) from freezing to death]]. He is put under the one man who could possible deal with him and sent on a simple intelligence gathering mission, by the end of which he manages to have 3 separate 'superior officers' locked in the brig so he can go about [[spoiler:leading a mercenary troop to defend a wormhole from an enemy invasion]] which no one ever asked him to do. But since he did manage to save everyone he ends up with a promotion and his dream job of [[spoiler:playing admiral for said military fleet]].

** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' - ''The Die is Cast'': "If you pull a stunt like that again, I'll courtmartial you. Or I'll promote you."

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* In ''Audioplay/StrikersSoundStageX'', Teana is nearly put on trial for [[spoiler:unwittingly collaborating with the terrorist mastermind]] but is let off with a warning thanks to her efforts in containing the damage caused by the incident.

* Disney's ''Disney/{{Mulan}}''.

--> '''7''': If you follow orders and fail, the Evil Overlord will claim he told you to do something different, and your body parts will be used a castle decorations. If you disobey orders and succeed, the EO will act as if what you did was his idea, and you will be commended. The Moral: Do what works.

->''...."The council calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk....."''\\
'''The audience''': '''WHHAAATTT??!!!'''
-->-- Audience reaction to the AwesomeMomentOfCrowning scene from ''Film/StarTrek2009''.

** The granddaddy of these must be Captain James T. Kirk. As recounted in ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', he put this trope into action when he cheated on an Academy test, and rather than be kicked out, he was given a ''commendation''. For original thinking. It helped that the Academy test he 'cheated' on was an UnwinnableTrainingScenario designed specifically to find out what a cadet does when faced with a scenario where all their choices are bad ones; Kirk's response to a no-win scenario was to improvise, think out of the box and use a few dirty tricks so he could TakeAThirdOption, which is exactly the kind of qualities Starfleet want in their officers.