| 1 | %% Image selected via crowner in the Image Suggestion thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700 |
| 2 | %% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php?crowner_id=x52ecpvr |
| 3 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | [[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/BerkeleyMews https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nooo_1011x1024.png]]]] |
| 6 | [[caption-width-right:350:[[https://www.berkeleymews.com/comic/nooo/ Art]] by Ben Zaehringer. Used with permission.]] |
| 7 | |
| 8 | ->'''Lance:''' Are we really going to argue over who makes the noble sacrifice?\ |
| 9 | '''Keith:''' Only if you don't let me do it. |
| 10 | -->-- ''WesternAnimation/VoltronForce'' |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Our heroes have a tough decision to make. If all goes well, ''most'' of the team can make it out alive. But who draws the short straw? Who plays TheBait? Who says [[YouShallNotPass "You shall not pass]]"? Who buys everyone else some time with a doomed LastStand? In other words, who makes the HeroicSacrifice? [[WhoWillBellTheCat Surely]] ''[[WhoWillBellTheCat no one]]'' [[WhoWillBellTheCat would willingly volunteer for th]]– |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Oh. [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Bob and Charlie]] both raised their hands at once. Well, this is awkward... |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Needless to say, this is neither the time nor the place for the argument Bob and Charlie are about to have over who offers himself for the team. So the conflict is usually resolved quickly in one of four ways: |
| 17 | # Bob is in a position to give orders, so he takes the role and sends Charlie away. [[TheMenFirst Common in military situations]], and the reason why the king can refuse to leave the city InItsHourOfNeed but send away the crown prince. However, this does not always settle the fight, even when Bob's authority is beyond question: Charlie may defy the order and go on arguing, or attempt to take the role by force. ThatsAnOrder often comes into play at this point. |
| 18 | # Bob may have a valid MoreExpendableThanYou argument: he could be [[TheLastDance dying already]] or [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown too injured to move]], so he has to stay -- Charlie will only be able to keep Bob from DyingAlone. In other scenarios, Bob may be compelled to stay ''because'' his sacrifice is [[OnlyICanKillHim the whole point of the expedition]] -- he came along ''so that'' he could offer himself, and Charlie must accept that it is not his role even as Bob accepts that it is. Conversely, Charlie may be a critical player in the next stage, and/or Bob may already be beyond saving. |
| 19 | # Bob overcomes Charlie through force or stealth and takes the fatal role. He tricks Charlie into leaving, [[PercussivePrevention knocks him out so he can't follow,]] shuts the door between them, throws him onto a moving vehicle he can't jump off, etc. He may even resort to a SneakyDeparture so that Charlie does not realize he is gone in time to stop him. |
| 20 | # Bob cuts off Charlie's objections through sheer force of personality and insists that he ''must'' make the sacrifice. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | A very rare fifth route is for Bob and Charlie to figure out a way both of them can make a partial sacrifice, which usually leaves them both hurting but alive. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Not that [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt the audience is always in doubt]]. The SortingAlgorithmOfMortality often dictates, as does RedemptionEqualsDeath. This is one case where DyingAlone is, in fact, a consolation to the dying character. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Note that trying to dissuade someone from (or trick or force out of) making the HeroicSacrifice does not suffice; you must want to stop them so that you can ''do it yourself''. However, it does not have to be the same sacrifice: the wounded character arguing IWillOnlySlowYouDown and the others arguing NoOneGetsLeftBehind qualify, as does a character begging the villain to TakeMeInstead, while the captive character argues that he should not sacrifice himself. Cases where one character wishes to shoulder the burden entirely, and other characters argue they can take on part of it -- such as a lord who goes for ReleasingFromThePromise and knights who argue he should keep them on despite the danger -- are usually in, though they may be borderline. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Sometimes the argument is merely about who gets to sacrifice the credit for the job, with the other character getting the glory; a common result of their both feeling IFeelGuiltyYouTakeIt. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Definitely the duty of members of the HeroSecretService. See also WhoWillBellTheCat, OuthumblingEachOther, and when this involves the hero facing off with some evil alone, DoorJam. |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Do not confuse with ATrueHero, although the two may overlap. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Beware of unmarked spoilers. |
| 35 | ---- |
| 36 | !!Examples: |
| 37 | |
| 38 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 41 | * Manga/AttackOnTitan: At some point during the 4-year time skip, Sasha, Jean, Armin, and Mikasa debate who should inherit Eren's titan. Eren tells them that he doesn't want any of them to inherit his titan because all he wishes is for his friends to have long fulfilling lives. |
| 42 | * A short conflict in a later episode of ''Anime/DeathNote'' has the Anti-Kira Taskforce arguing over who should make the shinigami-eye deal, which cuts a person's lifespan in half, in order to kill Mello and retrieve his [[ArtifactOfDeath Death Note]] (although, tragically, they don't know they're making this sacrifice [[DramaticIrony for Kira himself]]). Matsuda offers, and it's obvious Light is happy to assign the task to him, but he didn't plan on [[OhCrap his dad wanting it instead]], and winning because he's oldest. Light is not happy when this results in his father's death. Even less so when he doesn't even manage to kill Mello and get the Note. |
| 43 | * In the last episode of season 1 of ''Anime/{{K}}'', [[spoiler: Shiro, reawakened as the Silver King]], tells version 1 to Kuroh, [[spoiler: who has become his Clansman]]. |
| 44 | * In ''[[Anime/MegamanNTWarrior2002 Megaman NT Warrior Axess]]'', Megaman and Protoman are faced with the overwhelming power of Shademan. With his power boosted by the Dark Chip, Shademan is far stronger than the duo and immune to the effects of normal Battlechips. [[ForbiddenChekhovsGun Lan prepares to use the Dark Chip that Dr. Regal gave him earlier]], knowing it will turn Megaman into a Darkloid...but then Chaud grabs the Dark Chip out of his hand and uses it to empower Protoman, corrupting his Navi so Megaman can stay with Lan. |
| 45 | * Used in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' at the very end. As [[ColonyDrop Libra falls to Earth]], Heero goes to the main reactor to destroy it; unfortunately, he's out of weapons, his ammo and [[LaserBlade beam saber energy]] depleted from his duel with Zechs and his {{BFG}} having been knocked away at the start of the fight. He's about to use the SelfDestructMechanism when Zechs [[BigDamnHeroes appears out of nowhere]], stabs the reactor with Epyon's {{BFS}} and says "We'll meet again" as the explosion engulfs him. [[spoiler:And yes, he does come back.]] |
| 46 | * An interesting subversion occurs in ''Manga/{{Naruto}} Shippuden'': [[spoiler:We're shown in a flashback of Danzō when he was young being part of a team (which Hiruzen Sarutobi was also a member of) led by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. At some point, they were chased by Kinkaku's Squad of Kumogakure and decided one of them would have to be a decoy so the others could escape safely. Danzō tried to volunteer but was paralysed with fear at the prospect of dying, allowing Hiruzen to volunteer before he could compose himself. Danzō began to protest before Tobirama decided to be the decoy instead while appointing Hiruzen as his successor. Danzō was NOT happy with this at all. Both because he wouldn't be the next Hokage, ''and'' because a moment of weakness kept him from living up to his own ideology while his hated rival Hiruzen did.]] |
| 47 | * ''Manga/OnePiece'': After fighting and defeating both Oars and Gecko Moria, the Straw Hat Pirates are too worn out to defeat Bartholomew Kuma. All but Zoro have been knocked unconscious. Zoro offers his own life in exchange for the lives of everyone else. Kuma agrees to his request. Suddenly, Sanji stands up and offers his life in place of Zoro's. Zoro proceeds to sucker punch Sanji in the side, knocking him unconscious and ending the argument. |
| 48 | * ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'', episode "Red Impulse's Secret". Katse's missile to reverse the end of the world disasters is sitting there, but the autopilot wasn't installed. Someone will have to pilot it. [[spoiler:Red Impulse and G-1]] argue over who gets the job. After the Reveal, [[spoiler:Red Impulse throws G-1 several feet and flies the missile to its success and his death.]] |
| 49 | * In ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'', [[StarCrossedLovers Ban and Elaine]] were fatally injured killing the monster that razed the Fairy King's Forest. Fortunately, the Fountain of Immortality was only a few inches away...but it didn't have enough water to heal them both. Each wanted to save the other, so Elaine pretended to drink [[IntimateHealing and then kissed Ban]], who was so surprised that he instinctively swallowed the water. Interestingly, Elaine's reasoning inverts the trope name; [[OurFairiesAreDifferent she's already had centuries of life]] and hasn't really ''done'' anything with it, but Ban is a teenager who's already accomplished a lot. Because [[HeroicSelfDeprecation she considers]] him more heroic (on top of loving him), he gets to live. |
| 50 | * In ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate: 0'', causality requires that either Kurisu or Mayuri die, and both options lead to a BadFuture. [[RippleEffectProofMemory Okabe]] tries to keep this a secret because he doesn't want them to feel guilty for being alive. [[spoiler:He is proven right when Mayuri commits suicide to make him travel back and save Kurisu instead.]] |
| 51 | [[/folder]] |
| 52 | |
| 53 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 54 | * Similar to the movie Spartacus, in ''Bloodquest'' (a Warhammer 40K comic) two Blood Angel marines are captured by forces of chaos. They are given a choice: A fight to the death. The winner will then be tortured by a slaaneshi marine, who is also their former friend. The other marine tries to say that neither of them will agree to the terms, when his friend attacks him, begging for him to subdue and accept death. He has already fallen to the Black Rage and has nothing else in his life except pain anyway. |
| 55 | * In ''DC Comics Bombshells'', one of the heroines has to give her life in order to destroy the giant Tenebrae threatening London. ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} volunteers but [[ComicBook/StargirlDCComics Stargirl]] refuses to let her adoptive sister die, so Courtney knocks Kara down and proceeds to blow the Tenebrae and herself up. |
| 56 | * ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}:'' During the V-Lock arc, someone is required to fly a bunch of nukes into the V-Lock base. Nocturne initially volunteers on the grounds she's got flying experience, but at the last minute, Mimic knocks her out, feeling he has to make amends after being in a funk the last few realities. [[spoiler:Morph's summoning the Asgardians to solve the problem in a different way allows Blink to recover and teleport him away, though not before redirecting the nuke-filled plane so it blows up in space.]] |
| 57 | * This how [[spoiler: Johnny Storm]] [[ComicBookDeath dies]] in ''ComicBook/FantasticFour #587'', beating [[spoiler: Ben Grimm]] to the punch after pretending to accept the latter's heartfelt reasoning for his own self-sacrifice proposal. After all, they've practically made it their life's work to one-up each other. [[spoiler:Then it turns out killing him wasn't what Annihilus had in mind anyway.]] |
| 58 | * In ''ComicBook/GothamCentral'', Maggie Sawyer is going to get some information from the Joker, but Ron Probson stops her and does it himself so that she can "stay clean." |
| 59 | * At least one issue of ''ComicBook/IronMan'' where [[ComicBook/WarMachine Rhodey]] knocks Tony out and wears the armor himself. Subverted in that when Tony wakes up, he immediately goes out in a spare suit and arrives just in time to save Rhodey's massively outclassed butt. |
| 60 | * ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'': |
| 61 | ** In order to stop the Nebula Man, someone must strike it with the Nebula Rod, which will be certain death. Red Tornado does it himself on the grounds that he's a robot, and therefore worth "less" than anyone else. Of course, being a robot, he was rebuilt. |
| 62 | ** On one occasion, after hearing a prophecy that said the entire JLA would perish while fighting an ancient evil, [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Diana]] [[LoopholeAbuse decided]] to decommission the League ([[LetsYouAndHimFight by force]]) and fight the monster solo, as a [[OneManArmy League of One]], reasoning that her one death was preferable to the death of every one of her teammates. |
| 63 | * In ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'', the two [[ComicBook/{{Hourman}} Hourmen]], father and son, fought over who would be allowed to return to the point in time from which the father had been plucked by the android Hourman, to ensure a StableTimeLoop. This lasts until the android Hourman has a bright idea: he puts both father and son on his [[CoolShip time-traveling ship]], and fills the point himself. |
| 64 | * ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': |
| 65 | ** In ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' #346, Superboy has to fly into a Sun Eater and detonate a bomb to destroy it. He was about to do it when he was sucker-punched by [[MadeOfIron Ferro Lad]], who made the HeroicSacrifice in Superboy's place. |
| 66 | ** In its Post-Crisis recreation in ''ComicBook/FinalNight'', set in the present rather than in the future, Ferro Lad does the same, stealing the spaceship that would be used to the task before ComicBook/{{Superman}}, who had volunteered, could get aboard. Fortunately for Ferro Lad, he's also on the other end of this trope, as [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]], under the Parallax identity, appears and sends the lad back to Earth in safety, then performs a HeroicSacrifice as a way to [[RedemptionEqualsDeath redeem himself]] (he'd [[ComicBook/TheSpectre get]] [[ComicBook/GreenLanternRebirth better]] later, though). |
| 67 | * In ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'', Thor insisted on covering the escape from Hel, only to be cold-cocked by his former enemy Skurge, who then proceeded to declare YouShallNotPass at the bridge of Gjallerbru. He's also trapped in Hel for a year or three until Hela realizes his sacrifice has made him a soul she can't keep, and she sends him on to Valhalla. The final quote, made as on the left-hand side of the page he's fighting, and on the right, his picture slowly fades: |
| 68 | --> And when a new arrival asks about the one to whom even Hela bows her head, the answer is always the same - "He stood alone at Gjallerbru." And that is answer enough. |
| 69 | * In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', when learning that Knuckles' transformation into Enerjack could only be reversed via HeroicSacrifice, Julie-Su immediately volunteers. Archimedes overrides her, saying that as Knuckles' mentor, he's his responsibility, so he'll do it. Then Locke overrides them both since it was his experiments that led to the whole thing. [[EvilCannotComprehendGood Finitevus is shocked by this, calling them "grave eager fools".]] |
| 70 | * ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': |
| 71 | ** ''ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron'', "The Phantom Affair": [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_daily/1020778.html Zena and Jagged Antilles]] have to detach a burning section of their refueling station before the fire can spread, which means their deaths. Jagged tries to get Zena to follow the others who were evacuated from this section, but she tells him someone needs to fight the flames while he activates the lancing charge. |
| 72 | --->'''Jagged:''' Don't be foolish, Zena! Once we detach, they can't save us!\ |
| 73 | '''Zena:''' I know that, Jagged. You didn't marry a stupid woman! |
| 74 | ** In the series ''ComicBook/StarWarsCrimsonEmpire'', the last two Imperial Guards play a game of chance to determine who will stay to cover the other's retreat. Kile Hannad wins and chooses to stay. |
| 75 | --->'''Kir Kanos:''' In his place, I would have made the same choice... a warrior's death. |
| 76 | * ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': |
| 77 | ** ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'': Not specifically stated, but Superman IS the ONLY being capable of surviving a mano-a-mano fight against an Imperiex probe, so it eventually does fall upon him to take down every single one when everyone else fails to do the job. |
| 78 | ** In ''ComicBook/{{Crucible}}'', Supergirl and her classmates must prevent ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'s clonelings from growing to maturity. Nonetheless, destroying the clonelings will trigger a failsafe that will wipe the cloning out and everybody inside. Supergirl protests when Superboy volunteers, but then she agrees to join him. Supergirl's schoolmates do not want to leave her alone, but Kara points out that Superboy and she are the only ones invulnerable enough to risk it. |
| 79 | --->'''Superboy:''' Get everybody out of here. I'll stay and make sure the clones are destroyed.\ |
| 80 | '''Supergirl:''' No, Kon. I won't let you sacrifice yourself--\ |
| 81 | '''Superboy:''' It's MY call, Kara. |
| 82 | * ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers:'' Inverted in issue #4, where some of the Wreckers are debating who's going to sacrifice themselves, having realized they're ''all'' patsies for this particular operation, chosen specifically because they're not big names and therefore expendable. Pyro still refuses to sacrifice himself, because he wants to die in a more ''epic'' way later on, and says Ironfist should do it. [[spoiler:Ultimately, Top Spin solves the problem by sacrificing himself. At the end of the series, it turns out Ironfist had been chosen because he was dying anyway, only for him to get cold feet.]] |
| 83 | * ''ComicBook/XMen'': In issue #100, facing a deadly solar flare in a space shuttle that has been damaged to the extent the cockpit will be flooded with radiation, the team debate who will fly it. Jean Grey volunteers herself, and when Scott objects, she knocks him out. Technically speaking, Jean doesn't survive. |
| 84 | [[/folder]] |
| 85 | |
| 86 | [[folder:Card Games]] |
| 87 | * ''TableTopGame/MagicTheGathering'': In the climax of ''War Of The Spark'' [[spoiler: [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Liliana]] turns on [[BigBad Nicol Bolas]], who owns the contract to her soul, despite the fact that [[HeroicSacrifice doing so will mean her death]]. She's ready to [[RedemptionEqualsDeath accept it as something she deserves]]... until [[https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=460941 Gideon uses his magic to take the effects of the broken-contract onto himself]], something ''[[SpannerInTheWorks nobody]]'' [[DidntSeeThatComing saw coming]]]]. |
| 88 | [[/folder]] |
| 89 | |
| 90 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 91 | * ''Blog/BetterBonesAU'': Crowfeather initially volunteers to be a Light in the Mist and venture into [=StarClan=] to defeat [[spoiler:Ashfur]], but Breezepelt knocks him out while escorting him to the border so he can take the role instead. |
| 92 | * In the Power Ranger fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6363796/1/Darker-Shades Darker Shades]]'', Zed kidnaps Kimberly's brother and makes the stipulation that only she and Tommy can go rescue him. The catch is that one of them is going to have to become evil to do so or else it will be Kimberly's brother that will. Naturally, neither one of them wants the other to do it. Tommy argues that he can endure it, having been evil once before and that he is losing his powers so he would be less of a threat. While Kimberly argues that it is her brother so it is up to her and that she doesn't want Tommy to go through that again. When the two get to the island her brother is on, Kimberly knocks Tommy out and runs ahead. He quickly regains consciousness and catches up. They put the argument aside and work together to get to her brother. Just before they get to the room that Kimberly's brother is in they are confronted by one of the [[spoiler: Greek gods]] that Zed has created. After some words are exchanged, in a fit of anger Kimberly fires some shots with her bow. [[spoiler: The god deflects them and one of them hits Tommy killing him]], or [[spoiler: so Kimberly is made to believe]]. Ultimately leaving [[spoiler: Kimberly]] the only one to sacrifice [[spoiler: herself]]. |
| 93 | [[/folder]] |
| 94 | |
| 95 | [[folder:Fairy tales]] |
| 96 | * In the Indian fairy tale "The Story of the Rakshasas", Sahasra Dal and Champa Dal learn of a Rakshasa that forces the king to give him a human every night when they stay with the family chosen for the next night, and everyone is arguing to be the sacrifice. |
| 97 | -->''The eldest lady of the house, the mother of its head, said aloud, “Let me go, as I am the eldest. I have lived long enough; at the utmost my life would be cut short only by a year or two.” The youngest member of the house, who was a little girl, said, “Let me go, as I am young and useless to the family; if I die I shall not be missed.” The head of the house, the son of the old lady, said, “I am the head and representative of the family; it is but reasonable that I should give up my life.” His younger brother said, “You are the main prop and pillar of the family; if you go the whole family is ruined. It is not reasonable that you should go; let me go, as I shall not be much missed.” '' |
| 98 | [[/folder]] |
| 99 | |
| 100 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 101 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart''. In the film's climax, [[spoiler:Batman and Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi]] argue in the middle of the battle over which of the two should sacrifice themself for the other. |
| 102 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': Peter B. Parker, Gwen Stacy, Peni Parker, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Ham are all drawn into Miles's universe by the bad guys' supercollider, and dimensional incompatibilities mean that if they don't get back to their own universes soon, they'll die. However, if the supercollider is allowed to continue operating, it will probably destroy the multiverse. Because they don't think Miles is up to the task of sending them all home and shutting the machine down, they need someone to volunteer to stay behind; naturally, these being variations on the world's most famous victim of ChronicHeroSyndrome, all five step up simultaneously. [[spoiler:Later, after Miles TookALevelInBadass, Peter B. tries this ''again'' by trying to convince Miles to let him handle Kingpin; Miles has none of it and insists that Peter B. go back to his own dimension and fix his life there.]] |
| 103 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'': Flynn and Rapunzel argue briefly about whether she should have her freedom at the price of his life (Flynn's view), or he should live at the price of her letting Gothel keep her prisoner for life (Rapunzel's view). [[spoiler:Rapunzel goes to save his life, taking advantage of his being too weakened by the mortal wound to stop her. He is not however too weak to cut her hair, making it impossible; his life is ultimately saved by an EleventhHourSuperpower.]] |
| 104 | [[/folder]] |
| 105 | |
| 106 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 107 | * ''Film/Armageddon1998'': After the drawing of straws, the short-straw drawer [[spoiler:AJ]] has to set off the nuke to split the incoming mountain of death. Stamper agrees to escort him out, [[spoiler:but sabotages AJ's air system, leaves him in the airlock, and does the job himself.]] |
| 108 | * ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': After learning that retrieving the Soul Stone requires losing someone you love, best friends Black Widow and Hawkeye start straight-up fighting over who should make the jump. [[spoiler:Widow]] "wins". |
| 109 | * ''Film/TheCore'' When they realize whoever releases the CoolShip ''this time'' will not make it back, they do a little draw-the-shortest-straw contest for the honor, leaving out the only woman, since she was the pilot. However, the creator of the ship had rigged the contest to make sure he got the honor, on the grounds that "Virgil is my creation. If she needs blood, it's going to be [[ItsPersonal MY blood]]!" |
| 110 | * ''Film/Hero2002'', with Snow and Broken Sword both trying to wound the other enough so that they can be the one to make the sacrifice. |
| 111 | * Averted in ''Film/SantaHunters''. When deciding who will rescue Alex in [[BagOfHolding Santa's sack]], Zoey volunteers. After Richard looks down into the incredibly deep sack, he agrees to let Zoey go. |
| 112 | * In ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'', the titular character's revolt of gladiatorial slaves [[spoiler: is put down. The two primary protagonists are made by the BigBad to fight each other, with the ''winner'' to be crucified. The result is a real fight, just as intended.]] |
| 113 | * The iconic example in ''Film/{{Star Trek II|The Wrath of Khan}}'', although a variation where the idea was that said character was really going to be KilledOffForReal. |
| 114 | * In ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', Data doesn't bother to argue. He just wordlessly slaps the microtransporter on Picard to beam him back to the Enterprise before doing the HeroicSacrifice in his place. |
| 115 | * Val and Earl both argue over who will be the bait for the final Graboid in ''Film/{{Tremors}}''. They finally agree on Earl, only for Val to sock him in the stomach at the last possible second and run out into the sand. |
| 116 | [[/folder]] |
| 117 | |
| 118 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 119 | * At the end of L. M. Montgomery's ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'', Anne gives up a scholarship so she can stay at Green Gables where Marilla needs her. She gives it up before she tells Marilla so that Marilla can't argue with her. |
| 120 | ** In ''Rainbow Valley'', Ellen refuses to release her sister Rosemary from ThePromise when she wants to marry. Later, Ellen wants to marry, and she can't even bring herself to ask Rosemary to release her--but she does tell her suitor ''why'' she refused. So the man asks for her. Rosemary agrees at once; the catch is that she ''didn't'' tell ''her'' suitor why she turned him down, and she's sure that he wouldn't want her if she went back to him, and so refuses to even try. So Ellen refuses to marry her suitor, even knowing that they are both going to be miserable. (It's a good thing that Rosemary's suitor's youngest daughter intervenes.) |
| 121 | * Part of the legend of Literature/CiaphasCain, HERO OF THE IMPERIUM, is that he always seems to get into these situations (as the second volunteer). As far as he's concerned, he's only volunteering to find a way to escape, but... |
| 122 | * In Jim Butcher's [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Dresden Files]] novel ''Literature/DeadBeat'', Rawlins tells Harry that if he can get free, he should just go without him. Harry tells him |
| 123 | -->''You're siphoning my noble hero vibe. Cease and desist, or I'll sue.'' |
| 124 | ** In ''Literature/GravePeril'', Michael tells Harry that he can ensure that Harry and Susan escape; since he's a Knight of the Cross, he's supposed to protect the innocent. Harry tells him that he's supposed to have his sword, too, and since it's Harry's fault that he doesn't, Harry will not escape that way. |
| 125 | ** In ''Literature/SmallFavor'', Michael and Harry argue about who gets to be the last one on the helicopter. Harry, having [[IGaveMyWord promised his daughter]] and having seen a Valkyrie eye him, wins. [[spoiler:Michael ends up shot and very nearly dead while dangling from the helicopter.]] It is worth noting that if Harry had gone first, [[spoiler:both would have died]], according to Uriel in 'The Warrior'. |
| 126 | * In Creator/DanAbnett's Literature/GauntsGhosts novel ''His Last Command'', Gaunt and Wilder know that someone will have to [[YouShallNotPass make a last stand]] to give the rest of the regiment a chance to escape. Gaunt lays it out and offers to do it. Wilder refuses, points out that Gaunt does not have a command position, and orders him to take the regiment to safety. |
| 127 | * In Rick Riordan's ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians - The Titan's Curse'', Percy has a hard time persuading Artemis [[spoiler:to let him hold up the sky instead of her]]. He wins for the "valid argument" reason: [[spoiler:She can fight Atlas, who will kill him if they don't change places.]] In fact, her reluctance is rather HonorBeforeReason. |
| 128 | * ''Literature/RedSeasUnderRedSkies'': [[spoiler: Locke and Jean have both been poisoned, and there's only enough antidote for one. Each one wants the other to take the antidote. Jean threatens to physically force Locke to take it, but Locke reveals that he's already slipped the antidote into Jean's drink.]] |
| 129 | ** Earlier in the same book, [[spoiler: Ezri Delmastro]] [[PercussivePrevention punches Jean in the gut]] to keep him from sacrificing himself to save the ship. [[spoiler: She does it instead]]. |
| 130 | * In William King's ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' novel ''Literature/SpaceWolf'', Sergeant Hengist sends Ragnar and some other young Marines to BringNewsBack (of Chaos Space Marines) while Hengist and others [[YouShallNotPass hold them off]]. Ragnar wants to protest, and Hengist tells him that being a Space Marine is not easy, and sends him off. When one of the other Marines is injured during their escape, Ragnar sends the others on [[NoOneGetsLeftBehind while he tends the injured]] -- over their objections, succeeding when he threatens them, and they leave only with the comment that next time, it will be their turn to tend the wounded. |
| 131 | * In Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'', when invisible beings threaten to massacre them unless Lucy goes into a magician's tower to cast a spell, Lucy agrees to do it, and the boys argue with her that they want to defend her. Only when the fearless Reepicheep refuses to try dissuading her, observing that she is being brave and doing a heroic act, are they convinced to let her go. |
| 132 | * In Creator/BenCounter's ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' novel ''Battle for the Abyss'', when [[spoiler:Cestus]] asks for the bombs, [[spoiler:Brynngar]] punches him instead, on the grounds that it's a one-way trip. [[spoiler:Cestus does make it to the escape pod, to find that the traitor captain is also there. He kills him and dies himself.]] |
| 133 | * In ''Literature/OutboundFlight'', the last surviving Jedi and the brother of the man who caused all this try to put Outbound Flight into a stable orbit over a planet, only to find that the drive is too damaged. It shuts down, and they see that Outbound Flight will crash. They and the Dreadnaught where the fifty-seven survivors went to were on opposite sides, and the only way that the other survivors could live through the crash would be if the side the two of them were on hit first. |
| 134 | -->'''Thrass''': There's still time for you to leave, you know. You may at least be able to get to the core before we hit, perhaps even all the way to D-Four.\ |
| 135 | '''Lorana''': You can't handle the landing alone. But I could do that while you go.\ |
| 136 | '''Thrass''': And who would keep the remaining systems from self-destructing while you cleared a path through the pylons for me? No, Jedi Jinzler. It appears we will both be [[HeroicSacrifice giving our lives for your people.]] |
| 137 | ** And they do. And the survivors and their descendants [[TheGreatestStoryNeverTold never know what happened]]. |
| 138 | * In Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs's ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'': |
| 139 | ** In ''The Gods of Mars'', John Carter and Tars Tarkus argue over who should attempt to escape through a gap first. |
| 140 | ** In ''The Chessman of Mars'', when Tara and Turan do not wish to leave Ghek in danger, Ghek persuades Turan that he must force her, or [[MenAreTheExpendableGender they will kill her]]. |
| 141 | * In ''Literature/MythAdventures'' when strangers have snuck through a [[PortalDoor door]] in their house, Aahz and Skeeve argue about who will go through it to retrieve them; Aahz points at the corner -and knocks out Skeeve to win the argument. |
| 142 | ** In ''M.Y.T.H. Inc. in Action'' the heroes argue over which of them should get to kill the queen. Big Julie cuts through all the arguments by saying he's an old man and therefore the most expendable; the one thing no one was mentioning but they all knew was that it was a suicide mission. |
| 143 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter'': |
| 144 | ** In ''Literature/{{Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone}}'', Ron sacrifices himself to the White Queen so that Harry can checkmate the White King and proceed. This is a case falling under all three rules upahead, as Harry is the only one who can stop [[strike:Snape]] Quirrel/Voldemort, Ron is the only one in position to make the sacrifice, and Harry and Hermione had surrendered rank to him since he's the only one who's good at chess. |
| 145 | ** A lesser version in ''The Half-Blood Prince'', when Dumbledore and Harry are breaking into Voldemort's cave. A hidden door requires a sacrifice of blood, as deduced by Dumbledore; Harry offers to provide it in his place, but Dumbledore insists that Harry's blood is more valuable and takes the initiative to cut his own arm open with a knife (and promptly heal it back up again with magic). |
| 146 | *** Later, when they're leaving, it's Harry's turn to pull this, using the valid argument that he's already bleeding anyway. |
| 147 | ** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'', [[spoiler:Crookshanks]] tries to protect [[spoiler:Sirius]] by leaping between him and [[spoiler:Harry]], so that any spell would take them both; [[spoiler:Sirius]] tries to protect [[spoiler:Crookshanks]] by pushing it out of the way, to avoid the spell. |
| 148 | ** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', an inverted one: Harry and Cedric argue over who gets to touch the cup and win. As a test of skill, Cedric could easily get there first, but after Harry's help, he thinks Harry should get it. Harry finally offers to do it together. |
| 149 | * In Creator/JamesSwallow's ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' novel ''[[Literature/BloodAngels Red Fury]]'', Dante tries to get the Chapter Masters off-planet when the mutants attack. One is offended at the thought they would run away from mutants, Dante says that they did not bring about the problem; Blood Angels did, and another says they will nevertheless help fight it because the first was right, it could be construed as an insult. Dante says he is honored. |
| 150 | * In ''Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy: Ptolemy's Gate'', Bartimaeus and Nathaniel lie to Kitty, telling her that they will be able to escape alive when she can't, to persuade her to leave. [[spoiler:Then Nathaniel, at the very end, dismisses Bartimaeus against his will, so he alone has to die.]] |
| 151 | * In Creator/JRRTolkien's ''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Fellowship of the Ring]]'', |
| 152 | ** Boromir thinks this is his motivation for wanting to take the Ring away from Frodo (self-deception, since the Ring is clouding his mind). |
| 153 | ** Frodo concludes he must go off alone, without telling the others, to forestall their willingness to come with him. |
| 154 | ** Sam deduces this and threatens to prevent his leaving if he doesn't take him -- but Sam's actions are only borderline this, because he wants to share the burden, not take it from Frodo entirely. |
| 155 | * In book two of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', [[spoiler:Katniss and Peeta are each determined that the other will be the survivor of the Games. Both of them have arguments in their favor: Katniss realizes that Peeta's public speaking skills will be valuable in the coming revolution, whereas she herself is more useful as a martyr. On the other hand, Peeta tells Katniss that while she could live quite happily without him, he couldn't live without her; although they can't speak of the revolution openly, this seems to imply that he wouldn't bother joining it if she were dead.]] |
| 156 | * The trope is used several times in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', with [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Ax]] and [[BloodKnight Rachel]] being the two most likely to play the role of arguing about who gets to go on the suicide mission. It has happened enough that in the final book when Jake sends Rachel on a mission that really will [[KilledOffForReal kill her off for real]], he knows that he needs to [[DefiedTrope defy the trope]] by making sure that only Rachel knows about her HeroicSacrifice ahead of time. |
| 157 | * In Creator/DorothyLSayers's ''Nine Tailors'', Literature/LordPeterWimsey and the police learn that the two men who had respectively put a man in the belfry and buried him after he died were shielding each other because they thought the other had murdered him. |
| 158 | * In the Chinese tale of the "righteous stepmother of Qin", her son and stepson were found near a murdered body. Both men confessed to the crime in an attempt to shield the other. (When the stepmother recommended the execution of her son, not her stepson, and explained that he was the junior, and she had the duty to look after her stepson, the king pardoned them both for her devotion to duty.) |
| 159 | * In Andy Hoare's Literature/WhiteScars novel ''Hunt for Voldorius'', Jhogai demands the right, [[CombatByChampion as company champion, to face off against the Chaos champion Nullus]]. [[spoiler:He loses]]. |
| 160 | * Creator/IsaacAsimov's "{{Literature/Runaround}}": Powell and Donovan are arguing over who should risk their life to rescue a malfunctioning robot. Powell proposes a math contest: whoever can solve a difficult math problem gets to go. Of course, he already solved it in his head before proposing the contest, and immediately runs off before Donovan can realize he was tricked. |
| 161 | * In Creator/AdrianTchaikovsky's ''[[Literature/ShadowsOfTheApt Dragonfly Falling]]'', Salma tries to tell Totho he can't sell himself to the Wasp to save him, but Totho informs him that he has already done so, and if Salma doesn't take the escape he did it for, Totho has done it in vain. |
| 162 | * In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/MovingPictures'', Laddie and Gaspode set fire to the Odium to destroy the film-creature. When Gaspode's leg goes, Laddie [[NoOneGetsLeftBehind picks him up and carries him]], despite Gaspode's [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown protestions]] that there's no time, and he's just going to get them ''both'' killed. |
| 163 | * Creator/JasperFforde's ''Literature/ThursdayNext'': |
| 164 | ** "Lost in a Good Book", Thursday goes to kill herself to appease Aornis. Her father stops her and derails Aornis's plans despite her objections that it will kill him; among other things, he points out he's aged, and he will go without a decline this way. |
| 165 | ** In ''Something Rotten'', Spike tries to [[BalancingDeathsBooks take Thursday's place]] in [[spoiler:the underworld]]; they argue, and when he can't be moved, Thursday tells the crowd he's [[spoiler:alive]]. Then Cindy shows up and argues Thursday into letting her do it. |
| 166 | * In Mary Jo Putney's ''Thunder and Roses,'' the hero and a miner are escaping a flooding mine. When it seems likely that there will only be time for one of them to be pulled up to safety, the hero orders the miner to go up first - only for the miner to cold-cock him and send him up. The miner survives to explain his reasoning: as a devout Methodist, he was confident that he'd go to heaven, but he wasn't nearly so sure about the hero. According to the author's note, this was based on a true story. |
| 167 | * In L. Jagi Lamplighter's ''[[Literature/ProsperosDaughter Prospero Lost]]'', Mab orders Miranda to flee while he contains the barghests. She starts to obey and then goes back and refuses to leave again. |
| 168 | * In Creator/PoulAnderson's "Sunjammer", though it never comes to the point, the men argue about who will be left behind to pilot the ship over a cargo ship with explosive fuel. West argues that he's the older, by far; the two younger men, that they are unmarried. In the end, when they have found another possibility, all three stay even though what they are trying may not work. |
| 169 | * In Creator/PoulAnderson's "Lodestar", the three characters are arguing about who retreats to their ship from the attack first, in the opening. |
| 170 | * In Creator/MichaelFlynn's ''Literature/SpiralArm'' novel ''On the Razor's Edge'', in {{Flashback}}, he beckons for Issa to come, but she refuses. She will maintain the illusion as he escapes. |
| 171 | * In Creator/JulieKagawa's ''Literature/TheIronKing'', Ash and Meghan dispute -- Ash tells her it has come to the point where she must choose between saving him and Ethan, and she tries to refuse. |
| 172 | * In Creator/StephanieBurgis's ''[[Literature/KatIncorrigible A Most Improper Magick]]'', [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy Elissa is willing to sacrifice herself in marriage to Sir Neville to protect Mr. Collingwood]]. Mr. Collingwood tries to argue her out of it -- she [[WrongGenreSavvy reads too many Gothics]], though. |
| 173 | [[/folder]] |
| 174 | |
| 175 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 176 | * ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': |
| 177 | ** When [[spoiler:Lex Luthor]] is in a coma with critical information in his head, [[spoiler:Chloe offers to heal him, but Clark refuses as the effort might kill her, and instead uses technology that might fry his brain. She ended up doing it anyway.]] |
| 178 | ** Chloe returns the favour in ''Arctic'' when [[spoiler:she offers to use kryptonite on Kara, who has been acting violent, even though she doesn't think it is a good idea because Clark would do it anyway.]] |
| 179 | ** In ''Odyssey'', Clark tells Chloe not to heal him as the effort might render her dead, and permanently. [[spoiler:She does it anyway but somehow it doesn't work. Never explained.]] |
| 180 | ** In ''Legion'', [[spoiler:the legionnaires think the only way to stop Brainiac is to kill his human host, Chloe Sullivan. They knock her unconscious, but when Lightning Lad holds the knife, he couldn't do it, so Cosmic Boy snatches the knife and tries to stab her, if not for [[BigDamnHeroes Clark]] to rush in.]] |
| 181 | ** In ''Doomsday'', [[spoiler:Oliver shoots Clark with a kryptonite arrow so that Black Canary, Bart, and him could face Doomsday by themselves. Might count as a WhatTheHellHero instead.]] |
| 182 | ** In ''Patriot'', [[spoiler:Oliver decides to be the one to see what happens if they go with the SuperRegistrationAct instead of Clark. It makes sense because his identity has been exposed anyway.]] |
| 183 | * On at least two occasions in ''Series/TwentyFour'', Jack Bauer intended to die in an explosion to save the day - or at least a portion of it - only to have someone else go ahead and do it. |
| 184 | ** Jack treated [[spoiler: Paul Raines]] like shit, to say the least, before and after he saved Jack's life. Neither was trying to prove anything, but Jack's saviour definitely seemed like the bigger man after that sequence of events, while Jack came dangerously close to becoming unlikeable, displaying a mindset similar to that of the terrorists he was combating. |
| 185 | * In an episode of ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger'', [[TheHero Ban]] and [[TheLancer Houji]] [[spoiler: go together into space to destroy a giant meteor approaching Earth using the [[HumongousMecha Deka Wing Robo]] in Cannon Mode. After their first attempt fails, Houji decides to ram the Deka Wing Robo into the meteor's core and orders Ban to detach his machine and leave. Ban seems to agree... until he detaches Houji's machine instead and sends him away, seemingly dying in the explosion. [[TakeAThirdOption Ban manages to survive the ordeal by SHOOTING the core at point-blank with his own D-Revolver, thus sparing himself from ramming it.]] ]] |
| 186 | ** This is carried over to ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' as well with Jack and Sky. |
| 187 | * ''Franchise/StarTrek:'' |
| 188 | ** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E12TheEmpath The Empath]]", when aliens offer Kirk the choice of sacrificing [=McCoy=] or Spock, [=McCoy=] takes out Kirk with drugs. Spock is glad; being in command, he can make it himself. Then [=McCoy=] takes him out to make the sacrifice. |
| 189 | ** In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E07OnceMoreUntoTheBreach Once More Unto the Breach]]", Kor, once a Klingon villain from the original series now ally, is well into old age, likely to die a straw death. His mind is going as he sometimes forgets it isn't the original series. When the ship he is on is being pursued by Dominion forces as the fleet retreats to meet with reinforcements, one ship needs to stay behind as a delaying force. Worf plans to go, but Kor knocks him out and takes his place. With one ship with a skeleton crew, he holds off a group of much stronger ships before being destroyed long enough for his allies to get home safely. |
| 190 | ** Tom and B'Elanna do this in one episode of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. |
| 191 | --->'''Tom:''' On your feet, Lieutenant. That's an order.\ |
| 192 | '''B'Elanna:''' You can't order me, we're the same rank.\ |
| 193 | '''Tom:''' I'm a bridge officer, and I have seniority.\ |
| 194 | '''B'Elanna:''' Three days! |
| 195 | ** In the ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E21TheseAreTheVoyages These Are the Voyages...]]", Trip knocks out Archer to lead some rogues to a closet where he can electrify the floor and kill them all, himself included. |
| 196 | * ''Series/{{Angel}}'': |
| 197 | ** In "[[Recap/AngelS01E09Hero Hero]]", Doyle sucker punches Angel in order to make the HeroicSacrifice himself. Doyle himself seems to consider it a case of MoreExpendableThanYou at the time, but the PowersThatBe declared that it was too noble an action to warrant turning back time to avert it; to do so would dishonor the heroic spirit of his sacrifice. And besides Doyle had his own DarkAndTroubledPast [[RedemptionEqualsDeath to make up for.]] |
| 198 | ** In "[[Recap/AngelS05E08Destiny Destiny]]", Angel and Spike shared one of these when they were told of some cup that a vampire with a soul had to drink in order to save the world, the cup is known as "The Cup of Perpetual Torment". They were arguing over which one of them was the prophesied vampire and, because it's Spike and Angel, ended up having one of the most brutal fights ever seen on the show to drink from it and prove themselves the true champion. Effectively, punching each other while shouting "I'm more of a hero than you!" [[spoiler:Spike]] wins, but the cup [[spoiler:turned out to contain Mountain Dew and be made in China]]. |
| 199 | * In ''Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019'', [[Series/TheFlash2014 Barry Allen]] finally understands what the Monitor said to him about him having to make the ultimate sacrifice to save millions: [[spoiler:namely that he would vanish to destroy the anti-matter cannon that's vaporizing the Multiverse. However, [[Series/TheFlash1990 the Barry Allen from Earth-90]] temporarily steals his speed, citing that the Monitor said "The Flash must die" [[ExactWords never specifying]] ''[[ExactWords which]]'' [[ExactWords Flash had to die]], and does the sacrifice in his stead.]] |
| 200 | * In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', Crichton & D'Argo decided who got to be the hero with RockPaperScissors when they couldn't spare time arguing. |
| 201 | * In ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Charlie and Desmond couldn't decide who should undertake the thought-to-be-suicidal mission of swimming down to the Looking Glass station and deactivating its jamming device. Charlie resolved the situation by knocking Desmond out with an oar. He then proceeded to [[spoiler:swim down to the station and carry out his HeroicSacrifice (albeit not quite in the way he expected).]] |
| 202 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 203 | ** The Brigadier knocked the Doctor out in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]" to take his place, citing [[MoreExpendableThanYou expendability]] as his reason, but subverted the trope by sheer cool of a British officer and survived. |
| 204 | ** River Song's sacrifice in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E9ForestOfTheDead Forest of the Dead]]" counts here. She knew the Doctor would have sacrificed himself to save Donna and the others, and cold-cocked him so he couldn't do it. (Just why ''did'' she have those handcuffs, anyway? Business or pleasure? Both?) Overlaps with MoreExpendableThanYou. |
| 205 | ** In "[[Recap/DoctorWho2015CSTheHusbandsOfRiverSong The Husbands of River Song]]", River and the Doctor find themselves on board a crashing ship. The two of them argue over which one of them should stay behind and save the ship while the other escapes. Subverted when they both remember that everyone on the ship except for themselves are mass murderers and the two of them decide to flee and leave the monsters to their fates. |
| 206 | * Used in the ITV adaptation, ''Series/HoratioHornblower''. Rather than using the novel's elaborate set-up to ensure an/the eponymous duel is ''An Even Chance'', the TV version has Hornblower's second cold-cock him with a sea-lantern because he (the second) was shamed by 17-year-old Hornblower's courage, and didn't believe that either of them stood a chance in a duel against Mr Midshipman Simpson. |
| 207 | * Both played straight and for comedy in ''Chinese Paladin 3'': at one point, the heroes have to enter the forbidden [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace Demon Prison Pagoda]], which is forbidden to members of the ChurchMilitant. Undeterred, the chief acolyte promptly asks his superiors to expel him from the order. They refuse, and TheHero -- who can do the job just fine himself -- tells him to stop trying to steal his thunder. |
| 208 | * ''Series/StargateSG1'' and ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': CONSTANTLY. There's always a life-or-death situation, someone always needs to be sacrificed, and the heroes always argue over who gets to risk their lives this time. The CO usually "wins" but it's not unheard of for someone else to beat him to the punch. |
| 209 | -->'''Mitchell''': Well now you know that the hard part about being part of this team is not risking your own life. It's watching your friends take chances with theirs. |
| 210 | * In ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', Merlin and Arthur argue over who will drink the [[spoiler:not actually]] deadly poison. Arthur actually resorts to [[LookOverThere "Look over there!"]] just to get to drink it. |
| 211 | * ''Series/TheLegendOfWilliamTell'': Will and Aruna have to get a MacGuffin to Kalem, but the shelter's surrounded by Mooks. Will, still suffering the aftereffects of hypothermia, declares his intention to draw the bad guys away so Aruna can get through. Aruna shoves the MacGuffin into his arms and runs off before he can stop her. |
| 212 | * During the season two finale of ''Series/AgentCarter'', the rift generator has a malfunction and needs to be shut down manually, which requires getting close enough to the rift to risk being pulled in. While Peggy and a few other characters all claim to be the one who should take the risk and start arguing over it, Sousa quietly hobbles over to the generator and does it himself. |
| 213 | * ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'': |
| 214 | ** In Season 1 Episode 15, Rip learns that [[spoiler: Ray is going to die trying to destroy the Time Masters' main computer. Even after knowing it, Ray is willing to go through with it to save everyone else, but Mick whacks him in the head and decides to do it instead to get revenge on them. And ''then'', it's Snart who whacks Mick in the head to make the sacrifice for everyone.]] |
| 215 | ** Season 2 Episode 14: [[spoiler: In order to stabilize the Waverider during reentry, someone will have to open the cargo bay. Rip and Sara are ready to do it, but [[GuestStarPartyMember Henry Heywood]] beats them in getting there. By the time Nate arrives and tries to take his place, Henry has already shut the inner door. It's possible Nate could have survived the ExplosiveDecompression by "steeling on" and using his enhanced strength to hold on until all the air rushed out, but there's no guarantee of that.]] |
| 216 | * ''Series/TheWheelOfTime2021'': Moiraine insists that only the [[TheChosenOne Dragon Reborn]] will survive whatever happens at the Eye of the World. Much of Episode 7 is the potential Dragons arguing if it's true and what they should do. Then [[spoiler:Rand establishes he is the one and goes with only Moiraine, leaving the rest in Fal Dara]]. |
| 217 | [[/folder]] |
| 218 | |
| 219 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 220 | * In ''Some Kind of Hero'' by Leslie Fish, a starship's engineer offers to flip a coin for the last spacesuit on the ship. The ship's navigator knocks out the engineer and stuffs him into the suit. |
| 221 | [[/folder]] |
| 222 | |
| 223 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 224 | * At the end of ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'', [[spoiler:Sagi is grabbed by a machina as the party flees Tarazed's core. Milly realizes the control unit doesn't have enough power to override the machina and prepares to power it herself, which would kill her. Before she can do it, however, Guillo rushes past her and powers it up, sacrificing itself.]] |
| 225 | * ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'': Nina goes through a personal quest to acquire an artifact that will allow her to become The Great Bird. Unfortunately, the process is permanent and she's basically sacrificing her humanity and sentience for the good of the group, and the world. Her sister Mina has other ideas and steals the artifact so SHE can sacrifice herself instead. |
| 226 | * In ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'', Act 3 opens with all the heroes separated from each other in a new world. [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Cecil Harvey]] can tell that dark forces are pursuing him so they can steal his light, so he locks himself in a castle chamber and sets Kain and Rosa outside to keep anyone from coming in; with them being the only two people around, they don't have the strength to beat their enemies in a fight. However, when Ceodore comes in with a large group of reunited allies, Cecil ''still'' tries to insist on staying sealed away for everyone else's protection and is only convinced when they show him their strength by beating him in battle. (Then he gets a lecture for trying to take the weight of the world on himself, again.) |
| 227 | * After the final battle of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', it's possible to [[spoiler:stop and argue with Alistair about who gets to [[HeroicSacrifice finish off the Archdemon]]. Under most circumstances, the player character can either let Alistair have his way or insist on doing it him- or herself. If the player-controlled Warden is in a romance with Alistair, however, he takes the decision out of her hands entirely]]. |
| 228 | * ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'' has a minor example at the end of Char's/Amuro's Original plotline when Char takes away Amuro's chance to play the hero and goes down with the underground cave. (He gets better). |
| 229 | * In the first ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'', Forte's route has an extra portion where the Elsior's path to the White Moon is blocked by an enemy attack satellite. Forte immediately volunteers to go alone and destroy it herself while the rest stay back to protect the Elsior, arguing that her Emblem Frame is the best suited for the task when the other Angels try to offer to do it in her stead or at least back her up. Tact isn't sure about letting her go until she confesses that she's doing it because she wants to protect the man she loves, so he ultimately relents. |
| 230 | * At the end of ''VideoGame/LANoire'' [[spoiler: Cole and Jack argue over who will boost the other out of the sewer before the water rushes through. Cole maintains that he has a better chance to make the jump without any help, as Jack had been shot in the arm. ("You're wounded, Jack. Let me help you.") He then [[HeroicSacrifice lets himself die.]]]] |
| 231 | * At the end of the Virmire level in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', Shepard is forced to choose between saving Kaidan or Ashley. Both of them will insist that Shepard leave them behind and save the other. |
| 232 | * In ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'', in order to stop the ColonyDrop, one of the heroes has to maneuver a shuttle into crashing into it. Zero volunteered himself, as he stated that, whether or not he (Zero) survives the crash, the world is still in danger, and X is needed more than he is. |
| 233 | * Played with in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''. Either Snake or Raiden has to get to GW's server room, through a hallway saturated with microwave radiation. The other will stay behind and hold off an endless army of {{Mooks}}. Both forks in the road point to "heroic death", but naturally there's a More Hero Than Thou conversation between the two about who will do what. |
| 234 | %%* The end of ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave''. It's not who you'd think either. |
| 235 | * One person from the team has to stay in Paradise while the others go to [[spoiler:Great Glacier]] in ''Videogame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'': Gates to Infinity. None of them want to stay behind, but they want each other to be happy. Even after [[spoiler:[[DrawingStraws picking strips of paper to decide who should stay]] and Dunsparce gets the marked one]], the characters still argue over it and volunteer to stay until [[spoiler:Emolga]] tells them to accept the results. At the last minute, though, [[spoiler:Emolga]] switches with [[spoiler:Dunsparce]], to everyone's surprise. |
| 236 | * ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'': The last third of the game has Luke and Asch arguing repeated about who is going to make a HeroicSacrifice, actually two of them over the course of this part of the game, with each one wanting to make the sacrifice himself. [[spoiler: They both survive the first - neutralizing the miasma - but Asch dies in the second on Eldrant, though depending on how you interpret the ending he might be alive in some capacity after it's all over.]] |
| 237 | * After Arthas is killed in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', [[spoiler: Tirion and Bolvar]] have a minor disagreement over who should be the next Lich King. The latter wins out. |
| 238 | [[/folder]] |
| 239 | |
| 240 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 241 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'''s ''Unlimited Blade Works''. While at their wits' end inside hostile territory, [[ChronicHeroSyndrome Shirou]] and [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Rin]] both come face to face with [[spoiler:Lancer]], and both immediately try to nobly throw themselves in his path to let the other escape. Since both think they're better suited as the sacrifice and they're both incredibly stubborn, they immediately start quarreling about which one should get to sacrifice themselves, [[IgnoredEnemy all while]] [[spoiler:Lancer]] [[IgnoredEnemy just stands there in the background grinning at the spectacle]]. [[spoiler:After a few minutes of this he reveals he was there [[EnemyMine to offer them an alliance anyway]].]] |
| 242 | [[/folder]] |
| 243 | |
| 244 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 245 | %%* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'': [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000622 Run, Roll! Get Out of here!]] |
| 246 | * ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'': [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2004-04-05 Luna refuses to let them fight without her; Dominic thinks it's too dangerous.]] |
| 247 | * In ''Webcomic/TheDreamlandChronicles'', [[http://www.thedreamlandchronicles.com/the-dreamland-chronicles/page-749/ the dwarves want the party to run off and save themselves]] rather than fight. They eventually do so, because the dwarf king is TheAtoner. |
| 248 | * ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' |
| 249 | ** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091111 Tarvek tells Gil that if push comes to shove, he has to cut Tarvek off and save Agatha]]. Note that Gil's not in danger here--Tarvek is making a pre-emptive effort to keep Agatha from sacrificing herself for him. |
| 250 | ** When Gil and Tarvek are on the ground remaining motionless so that motion-detecting robots can't find them, TheDragon points out that if one of them tries to fight off the robots, the other one can sneak away and help Agatha. They both immediately jump up, yelling "Don't screw this up!" |
| 251 | --->'''Tarvek:''' You know, perhaps we should have ''discussed'' this...\ |
| 252 | '''Gil:''' Too late now! |
| 253 | * ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Dave and Rose have a disagreement over who will be the one to take the Tumor to the Green Sun, which will kill them. [[spoiler: It winds up subverted: both Dave and Rose end up going, and they both turn out just fine, due to being on their Derse Quest Beds when the Tumor detonates.]] |
| 254 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': |
| 255 | ** While LaResistance is falling before Redcloak's onslaught, Thanh orders Niu to BringNewsBack while he says YouShallNotPass. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0827.html First he invokes her superior ability to sneak, then he resorts to]] ThatsAnOrder. |
| 256 | ** Played for comedy in a later exchange between O-Chul and Lien. While crossing the snowdrifts of the [[GrimUpNorth northern continent]], they engage in what they call a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1031.html 'Paladin-Off']] for fun. |
| 257 | * In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'', [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2000-08-20 the captain is unwilling to accept the ambassador's sacrifice to let them away. Schlock is glad to take it and run.]] |
| 258 | * ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'': [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/030613 "Let me be the hero for once."]] "Sorry, ma'am. I'm union." |
| 259 | [[/folder]] |
| 260 | |
| 261 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 262 | * ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': On Day 132, after being trapped in an dangerous quest which dictates the ultimatum that one person must die for their fellow traveller to escape alive, [[spoiler:Scott]] decides to make a PreSacrificeFinalGoodbye so that [[spoiler:[[BigBrotherInstinct his younger brother]] Acho]] can live. However, [[spoiler:Acho]] knocks [[spoiler:Scott]] out of the way to stop him from pulling a HeroicSacrifice at the last second, falling into the spike pit in the process while [[spoiler:Scott]] can only watch on in horror. |
| 263 | -->'''[[spoiler:Scott]]:''' And I tried to make it be me… It ''[[SurvivorGuilt should]]'' have been me… but… he decided otherwise. |
| 264 | * Worm Girl's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNxR08GyKWg What Happens in Fear & Hunger 2: Termina – Full Story Analysis]]'' envisions one happening between the playable characters of ''VideoGame/FearAndHungerTermina'', when faced with the dilemma of who will go into the [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon White Bunker]] and face certain death. [[spoiler:Olivia, Marcoh, O'saa and Abella win the argument, and sacrifice themselves to the Machine God so that Levi, Marina, Daan and Karin can live]]. |
| 265 | [[/folder]] |
| 266 | |
| 267 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 268 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTimeDistantLands'': In the episode "Together Again", Finn and Jake need to kill New Death, who is destroying the realms of the afterlife, stopping the cycle of reincarnation and preventing life from ever being born again. Life grants them a weapon capable of harming Death, but Finn and Jake only discover later that [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt whoever kills Death is forced to become Death]]. The two then fight to be the one to take on this burden, as neither wants the other to be trapped reaping souls for eternity. [[spoiler:The situation is resolved by Mr. Fox accidentally killing New Death for them, sparing the two from such a fate]]. |
| 269 | * ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' takes this to ridiculous extremes with a scene that involves dozens of people knocking each other out in succession over who gets to go on a suicide mission. |
| 270 | * ''WesternAnimation/DumbPatrol'': The World War One pilot "Captain Smedley" (Porky Pig) is chosen to shoot down "Baron Sam von Shamm" (Yosemite Sam). WesternAnimation/BugsBunny knocks him out. |
| 271 | --> "Ya know, I just had to take his place. He's got a wife and six piglets." |
| 272 | * ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': One two-parter has a mild example. The first episode is the Scotsman trying to find out why Jack has [[AmnesiacDissonance lost his memory]]; the first half of the second episode is fighting the sirens that did it; and the second half is the Scotsman and Jack arguing and competing over who gets to row back to the mainland, with the ''winner'' rowing. |
| 273 | * ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekLowerDecksS1E03TemporalEdict Temporal Edict]]", Mariner and Ransom are locked in an alien prison and told that one of them must win a death match against the planet's mightiest gladiator to save their comrades from summary execution. Mariner and Ransom immediately start bickering like children over who gets the sword, totally baffling their captor, who was obviously expecting them to try and fob it off on the other. |
| 274 | * ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'': Subverted in the show's version of the Phoenix Saga. Jean Grey is apparently dead, but the Phoenix Force reveals that it can save her by transferring life energy from others to her. Jean's love interests Cyclops and Wolverine get into a brief argument about who will sacrifice himself for her sake. Both insist on doing it themselves. The Phoenix then explains that the life energy doesn't have to come from one person; it can take energy from a group of people (shortening their lifespans) to revive Jean. All of the ComicBook/XMen hold hands and allow the Phoenix to do just that. |
| 275 | [[/folder]] |
| 276 | |
| 277 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 278 | * Scottish clans used to race to be the first one into battle. |
| 279 | ** Celtic warriors have been stereotypically accused of this indiscipline as early as the Romans. It is a very grievous flaw due to simple mathematics; the first man into battle is ''always outnumbered'', as is the next one, and so on, which is why it is necessary to keep good order in a hand-to-hand fight. |
| 280 | * Prior to the Battle of Hanoi in 1946, orders came down to evacuate most of the soldiers in the city, leaving behind a newly formed regiment (dubbed Regiment of the Capital, now Regiment 102) who are fully prepared to make a LastStand, doomed or not. 500 people were meant to stay with the Regiment. The evacuees/transferred soldiers did all the paperwork and left. Commanding officers then did a headcount, revealing about 700 people who snuck back into the Regiment to fight. The final military count for the battle came down to about 2500 people, adding some other units. About 20000 civilians stayed to fight alongside the soldiers as well. |
| 281 | [[/folder]] |
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