History Main / TrapIsTheOnlyOption

* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' storyline ''ComicBook/ReignOfDoomsday'', Superman must rescue ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, Steel... from a pocket dimension hidden inside a spaceship drifting on the far side of the Sun. Superman realizes Luthor meant for him to find and walk into the trap, but he must go into it to rescue his family.
-->'''Superman:''' There's an event horizon inside. A private universe. Luthor was betting on me following them, trapping myself in there. So I have to make a leap of faith. To simply gamble that I'll discover something Luthor doesn't know. I'll take that bet!

* In ''ComicBook/RedRobin'' "Promise" gets Tim to come to her location with false information about the assassination game he's investigating in order to knock him out with her hidden meta-human abilities and kidnap him for her "sister". Luckily Tim was aware that something was off about the situation so he made a plan with ''his'' [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 sister]] and triggered a tracking device on himself.

** A common element in these stories is an archery contest that is actually a trap set by the Sheriff of Nottingham to ensnare Robin, widely recognized as the greatest archer in all the land. Robin is fully aware the contest is trap, but goes anyway, because he has to prove he's the best.

* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'': Kanbei believes Sonja's warnings in one mission of ''Black Hole Rising'' that Black Hole's holding several strategically insignificant Yellow Comet cities hostage is a trap. He goes anyway, because as far as he's concerned, ignoring the trap and letting the cities be occupied by Black Hole would be unacceptable. He is a CO, and COs protect their people no matter what.

** In [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1236.html "No Strings", Elan is lured away from the party by his lute moved through telekinesis, and while no longer fool enough to fall for it, is charmed into following anyway. The rest of the Order are perfectly aware this is an obvious trap, but refuse to let the party be split again, since they had very bad experiences about it, so they rush alongside to rescue Elan.

[[folder: Mythology]]
* A common element in Myth/RobinHood stories is an archery contest that is actually a trap set by the Sheriff of Nottingham to ensnare Robin, widely recognized as the greatest archer in all the land. Robin is fully aware the contest is trap, but goes anyway, because he has to prove he's the best.
** Subverted with another contest where the sheriff deliberately offers a prize he knows is useless to Robin - a pair of cows - because he ''doesn't'' want Robin to attend. (What he doesn't expect is for Little John, who'd listened to the townsfolk and knew full well why the sheriff chose that prize, to decide to take part instead, winning the prize and donating it to the fair for immediate use.)

* The Orks of ''{{TabletopGame/Warhammer 40000}}'' are quite fine with walking into traps, whether spotted in advance or not, since [[BloodKnight by Orkish logic]] it just means they'll get to the fight sooner. A similar, though not exactly the same, sentiment occasionally arises amongst the Space Marines: "when you're surrounded you don't even have to aim".

-->'''Gordon:''' You know it's a trap
-->'''Batman:''' Of course it is

'''Kreia:''' It may be a trap - but traps work both ways.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield 3}}'', at one point Misfit 1-3 is detached to Haymaker company, and come to a stop in front of a fuel truck that's blocking the road, that's ''obviously'' a trap. Haymaker's CO decides to spring it, much to Misfit 1-3's dismay.

-->'''Lt. Adams''': You know this is a trap.\\
'''Cpt. Walker''': Absolutely. But the whole city's gone crazy. Daniels might be our only hope of sortin' this mess out.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', one chapter has the Begnion army bring civilians to a swamp to be executed en masse. Everyone, from SmugSnake Izuka to CoolOldGuy Tauroneo, tells TheHero Micaiah that it's a trap, but she elects to go in anyway. When she inevitably emerges victorious, the knowledge that she willingly walked into a trap to protect the innocent is a major morale boost for the liberation army.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* A very odd version cropped up in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' during the "Don't Split the Party" arc. Elan insists that they stay caught in a net trap, stating that even if they easily escape there will be something that captures them ''anyway'' or else the first trap [[BreakingTheFourthWall wouldn't have even been shown]] and it's probably the least painful way of going about it to just be captured by the simple net. Daigo and Durkon ignore him, press on while Elan stays under the net, and are beaten bloody and captured by orcs while Elan stays unharmed under the net. Elan admits he's having to seriously resist an IToldYouSo as they're all being dragged off.
* ''WebComic/TowerOfGod''

** Leia's actions in [[Film/ANewHope]] can be interpreted as this. She suspects that the villains have intentionally let them go and bugged their ship to track them to the Rebel Base, but she still opts to go straight there. However, this has an advantage of bringing the Death Star to where they can attack it, preventing the imperials from blowing up any more innocent planets and/or modifying the station to remedy its weakness.

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicII: The Sith Lords'':

[[folder: Fairy Tales]]

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II: The Sith Lords'':

* [[VideoGame/MegaManStarForce Omega-Xis]] takes this trope as a rule of thumb, always.

** Leto and Thufir's mistake, aside from being tricked by a RedHerring, was underestimating the scale of the trap. When the trap was sprung, their enemies sent ''ten legions'' of soldiers supported by an entire legion of the Emperor's elite Sardaukar. Thufir was completely blindsided by how badly the Atreides' enemies wanted them dead, and how much expense they were willing to endure to make that happen. They had presumed that House Atreides' popularity in the Landsraad (many of the smaller houses were rallied behind Atreides) would make the Emperor hesitate to move against them. Instead, the great deal of support enjoyed by House Atreides and the Duke in particular made them [[DeadlyDecadentCourt entirely too dangerous for the Emperor to ignore.]]

* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Unification", [[{{Ambadassador}} Ambassador Spock]] is invited by the Romulan Proconsul to discuss Vulcan/Romulan reunification. The Proconsul comes across as too eager, leading to some suspicion that it's part of a Romulan ploy. Spock decides to go through with the meeting, saying that if there is a ploy afoot, he needs to play along to find out what's going on. [[spoiler:He turns out to be right--the Proconsul is working with Commander Sela on a plot to conquer Vulcan.]]
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
** Sisko's old friend, Cal Hudson, defects to the Maquis, and Sisko sets a trap at a Cardassian supply depot. When it's pointed out that it's an obvious trap, Sisko acknowledges this, but says Hudson can't afford not to attack, lest the depot be moved.
** "Rocks and Shoals": A Vorta field officer deliberately sends his Jem'Hadar soldiers walking into a death trap, so that he can safely surrender once they are out of the way. They know it's a trap, but they go anyway simply because [[HonorBeforeReason obeying the Vorta "is the order of things."]]
** "Sacrifice of Angels": Sisko leads a large Federation fleet to retake [=DS9=] from the Dominion, but encounter twice as many Cardassian and Jem'Hadar ships. Sisko attempts to lure Cardassian ships out of formation, but Gul Dukat recognizes Sisko's plan and carefully withdraws a few ships to draw him in so Dukat can crush Sisko with superior numbers. Sisko sees through the trap, but realizes they've been delayed long enough they may not be able to reach their objective in time and so orders the fleet forward anyway. [[spoiler:They're nearly wiped out, but TheCavalry in the form of a Klingon fleet hits the Dominion flank just in time and Sisko is able to break through.]]
* The ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Basics" starts with ''Voyager'' receiving a DistressCall from traitorous ex-crewmate Seska, who had earlier stolen Chakotay's DNA to impregnate herself; her call says that Kazon Maje Culluh (whom she left ''Voyager'' for) is furious that Seska's newborn baby is [[HalfHumanHybrid half-human]] and not half-Kazon. Our heroes are reluctant to embark on a rescue mission, especially Chakotay, until a VisionQuest with his deceased father convinces him otherwise. Fully aware that this may be a trap, ''Voyager'' goes in with a battle plan that almost succeeds--except that [[TheChessmaster Seska]] has an even better plan that leads to the Kazon capturing the ship and marooning the crew on an alien planet. [[spoiler:And just to drive the knife farther in, it turns out that the baby really isn't Chakotay's.]]

** In another episode of the same series, in a call back to a ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' plot, Robotnik challenges Sonic to a race. Sonia and Manic, figuring Sonic couldn't resist, show up to try and rescue him... except he knew it was a trap and didn't show, and they have to be rescued.

* In Film/{{Us}}, when Adelaide goes back into the Tyler house to get the keyfob so she and her family can escape in the Tylers' car, it's not in the bowl where she ''knows'' it goes, it's sitting in the kitchen out on the previously bare counter, and [[spoiler: the doppelganger who fell onto the coffee table is missing]]. Adelaide clearly knows something's up, but traveling on foot is too dangerous, so she grips her poker and just tries to grab the fob as fast as possible.[[spoiler: Sure enough, the doppelganger is alive and was using the fob as bait.]]

* ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'': The disgraced heroes hatch a plan to return to Canterlot when they hear rumors about Changelings seeking revenge on Twilight, but Princess Luna suspects that it might be a trap. The other heroes acknowledge this point, but decide to carry on with their original plan, seeing it as their only chance to clear their names and [[MustMakeAmends earn Twilight's forgiveness]].

** In "Hell Train: The Name Hunt Station", when Baam is fighting Kaiser, he sees that she's deliberately leaving him only one open path to attack and recognises it must be a trap. Eventually, he goes for it anyway since there's really no other option. [[spoiler: She promptly uses her special teleportation ability to catch him from behind.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In "[[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS1E10LairOfGrievous "Lair of Grievous"]] Kit Fisto, Nahdar Vebb and the clone troopers know they're walking into a trap, but have just enough information to realize they're bait for the trap without being positive they're also the prey. The fact that if they leave without anything their mission is a complete failure means they continue anyway, which turns out poorly for them.