Line #82 Main/TwoRoadsBeforeYou


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4	[[quoteright:299:[[TabletopGame/YuGiOh https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Changing_Destiny_7331.jpg]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:299:Choose wisely.]]
6
7	->''"You've got two roads before you: One is the path of righteousness, where you carefully walk the road to the light -- the direct route. That's your merry co-op play. The other is the path of heresy, searching for power along the path to darkness -- the indirect route. Single player. It fits a shut in -- uh, lone wolf like yourself."''
8	-->-- '''Jack Rakan''', ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''
9
10	TheHero is confronted with a choice between two mutually exclusive paths. Sometimes it's the choice between [[GoodnessTropes good]] and [[EvilTropes evil]], [[OrderVersusChaos law or chaos]], or even just choosing between [[PlayingWithFire fire magic]] and [[AnIcePerson ice magic]]. The point is, only one path can be taken, and there's no way back.
11
12	The point of this trope isn't the choice; it's the act of '''presentation'''. As long as someone is presenting the choice as if the options are mutually exclusive and important to the character's life from then on, it doesn't matter what the choices are or who is presenting them.
13
14	Shows up in video games quite often, even in games without a KarmaMeter.
15
16	See also SadisticChoice and TakeAThirdOption. Has some [[RuleOfSymbolism symbolic]] relation to AtTheCrossroads, though don't confuse this trope with that one as this one is about metaphorical forks in the road of the plot. SuperTrope of RedPillBluePill.
17
18	Note that this trope can apply to events with more than two choices, so long as they are all still mutually exclusive.
19
20	----
21	!!Examples
22
23	[[foldercontrol]]
24
25	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
26	* In the final arc of ''Manga/FairyTail'', Natsu Dragneel [[spoiler:is in a near-death state as his body is trapped between changing into either a dragon or a demon. In his mind, mental constructs of his loved ones tell him that his only chance of survival is to choose one transformation over the other]]. Natsu chooses [[spoiler:[[TakeAThirdOption to be a human as he always know he is]], causing both seeds to break down]].
27	* At the end of the second episode of ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'', Gai demands that Shu choose between returning to his normal life, and working with [[LaResistance Funeral Parlor]] to free Japan. Shu chooses to go home...and Gai promptly [[NewTransferStudent sends Inori to his school]], since Shu's ability is far too valuable to just ignore.
28	* The {{Trope Namer\|s}} is ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', with Rakan explaining the difference between the main character's [[IdiotHero father]]'s path and his [[OurVampiresAreDifferent master]]'s path. [[spoiler:Negi chooses the indirect route and begins the hard journey of mastering Magica Erebia, which transforms him into a kind of demon. By the end of the story his choice is a blurred mixture of both choices called "The Grey Path".]]
29	* ''Manga/RaveMaster'': After the Tower of Jin arc, Haru has a dream in which his father explains to him that now he has two roads to take, either go back to Garage Island and live with his family now that Demon Card is seemingly eradicated or pursue his fate as the Rave Master and find the remaining holy stones and the Star Memory.
30	* In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'', Dawn had to choose between Kenny, her childhood friend, and Ash, with whom she had been traveling for a long time. Guess whom she chose?
31	* ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' gave us this page's image. From a duel between Jack and Carly, it's the card "Changing Destiny" which negates an attack then allows the player who attacked to either inflict damage to their opponent or increase their own Life Points. Carly, showing that she was still herself, chose the option that didn't guarantee her victory. Unfortunately, it didn't make much of a difference as the Earthbound Immortal subsequently took control of her.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comic Books]]
35	* ''ComicBook/CaptainBritain'' has this as an origin story. Brian Braddock got into a motorcycle crash and was dying, when Merlin and his daughter Romana approached and offered him a choice between two artifacts that could save him. The Amulet of Right, representing wisdom and life, and the Sword of Might, representing power and violence. Either would have given him superpowers and made him [[CaptainGeographic Captain Britain]], but the Sword would have given him ''different'' powers. Considering himself more a scholar than a warrior, he chose the Amulet.
36	** The Elseworlds series ''ComicBook/EarthX'' has him revisit this choice, with the understanding that the right answer was ''both.'' Chivalry is the marriage between strength and gentleness.
37	** Also came in play with Kelsey Leigh, the second Captain Britain (later renamed Lionheart); when Brian offered her the choice, after telling her to "protect the realm", she chose the Sword over the Amulet. In the issues of ''New Excalibur'' this was [[DiscussedTrope discussed]], and it was held that the choice was not between good and evil, merely between more ruthless means to fulfill the Captain's mission and more reasonable ones. It went differently with [[BigBad Albion]], however, as he chose the sword, but used it to [[KnightTemplar try and conquer the United Kingdom in the name of order]].
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
41	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Balto}}'': Aleu gets this question posed to her by her [[SpiritAdvisor Spirit Guide]], Muru. She can continue on and find out who she really is, or return home to her family and old life. This one gets bonus points for being posed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RdNcwpQN34&feature=related song.]]
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
45	* ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': The Joker offers Batman a choice between saving Harvey and saving Rachel (and [[spoiler:lies about each other's location just to further fuck with Batman]]); likewise, he offers both a passenger-ship and a ship full of prisoners the choice of blowing up the other ship in order to save themselves. Also an example of the SadisticChoice.
46	* It's presented as this in ''Film/BatmanForever'' when the Riddler has Batman choose between saving Robin or Chase. Ultimately subverted, as Batman saves them both because he chooses to be both Bruce Wayne and Batman.
47	* ''Film/TheMatrix'':
48	** Morpheus offering Neo the [[RedPillBluePill red pill or blue pill]] in.
49	** After Neo is captured by the Agents he ends up in an interrogation room.
50	--->'''Agent Smith:''' It seems that you've been living two lives. In one life you're Thomas A. Anderson, program writer for a respectable software company. You have a Social Security number, you pay your taxes, and you help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived in computers where you go by the hacker alias "Neo", and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not.
51	* ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' also ''ends'' with the Architect offering Neo a choice between two doors — one accomplishes his mission (sort of), the other saves Trinity's life. Neo chooses [[spoiler:[[AlwaysSaveTheGirl Trinity]]]].
52	* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', all prospective agents have the choice between remaining in their current occupations and leading their lives, or joining the agency and severing all ties to their former lives.
53	-->'''James Edwards:''' Is it worth it?
54	-->'''Agent K:''' Oh, it's worth it... if you're strong enough.
55	* in ''Film/MrNobody'' the plot resolves around these types of decisions, and the movie shows them all.
56	* Shows up in ''Franchise/StarWars'' pretty often.
57	-->'''Yoda:''' If you leave now, help them you could; but you would destroy all for which they have fought, and suffered.
58	** The fate of the galaxy was decided when Anakin Skywalker had to choose between stopping Jedi Master Mace Windu when he tried to kill the lawfully designated ruler, the otherwise evil Chancellor Palpatine, and doing nothing. He tried to Take a Third Option by appealing to Windu's morals with "It's not the Jedi way/He must stand trial", but it failed. Anakin had to choose in a matter of seconds between (ultimately empty) promises and the unlawful action of the member of a benevolent Order who compromised the morals he was normally so insistent about.
59	* In ''Film/ThankYouForSmoking'' the Original Marlboro Man has cancer and is about to become a spokesperson for the anti-tobacco lobby. Nick presents him with a BriefcaseFullOfMoney. The guy can take the money and provide for his family or he can decline it and speak out against his former employers. Nick makes it quite clear that the guy cannot do both and has to choose.
60	* Lampshaded in the opening narration of ''Film/LastManStanding''. The protagonist then does the literal version, choosing to take the road to Jericho and kicking off the events of the movie.
61	-->It's a funny thing. [[EvenEvilHasStandards No matter how low you sink there's still a right and a wrong]], and you always end up choosing. You go one way so you can try to live with yourself. You can go the other, and still be walking around, but [[EmptyShell you're dead and you don't know it]].
62	* ''Film/ShogunAssassin''. Ogami Ittō has to go on the run when the Shogun sends ninja assassins after him, but they kill his wife instead. As a RoaringRampageOfRevenge is HarmfulToMinors, he presents his infant son with a SecretTest.
63	-->'''Ogami:''' I have decided to escape, to defy the Shogun. Today I will begin walking the Road to Hell, but you must choose your own path. ''(picks up a ball and sword)'' So, soon you may be seeing Heaven. Choose the sword, and [[BadassAndChildDuo you will join me]]. Choose the ball, and [[MercyKill you join your mother in death]]. You don't understand my words, but you must choose.
64	* A literal version at the start of the Italian SwordAndSandal movie ''Samson and His Mighty Challenge''. While Hercules is at a fork in the road, Zeus sends down a BoltOfDivineRetribution to encourage him to take the path of virtue, but Hercules decides to take the other road to Lydia where he can save a beautiful princess and get into [[HoYay wrestling matches with other sweaty Greek musclemen]]. Though the Australian GagDub ''Film/HerculesReturns'' has him riding the wrong way because [[DumbMuscle he's just thick.]]
65	* At the end of ''Film/TheNameOfTheRose'', novice monk Adso sees the peasant girl he slept with earlier at the side of the road. She takes his hand and [[CuteMute wordlessly implores him to stay]]. William of Baskerville makes no effort to sway him, just riding on ahead, but Adso reluctantly tears himself free and rides after him.
66	-->'''Adso:''' (as TheNarrator) I have never regretted my decision, for I learned from my master much that was wise, and good, and true. ''[snip]'' And yet...now that I am an old, old man, I must confess that of all the faces that appear to me out of the past, the one I see most clearly is that of the girl, of whom I have never ceased to dream, these many long years. She was the only earthly love of my life, yet I never knew--nor ever learned--her name.
67	* Another literal version at the end of ''Film/TheBatman2022''. Selina Kyle asks Batman to [[LeaveYourQuestTest leave with her]] instead of staying in Gotham to fight a HopelessWar. Selina quickly realises that Batman won't take the offer, but when she rides off on her motorcycle Batman appears to change his mind, riding after her on the Batbike until they are side-by-side. However when they reach the T-intersection at the end of the road, Selina goes one way and Batman goes the other.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Literature]]
71	* In the [[Literature/Dragonlance]] novel "Dragons of Winter Night" the wizard Fizban uses a dragon orb to peer into the future, describing it to Tasselhoff Burrfoot as "two paths before us", the first of which is tranquil and well-lit, but will lead to ruin. The second of which, which he later confirms to Tasselhoff they are on, is "the dark path, that ''may'' lead to salvation."
72	* In ''[[Literature/TheIcemarkChronicles Cry of the Icemark]]'', the warlock has a choice between being good and being evil, and there is a very specific point in the text where he chooses: Simple, easy and powerful, or good? [[TheDarkSide The choice was obvious.]] [[spoiler:[[ThePowerOfLove And then Thirrin spoke.]]]]
73	* Literature/HuckleberryFinn [[ToBeLawfulOrGood wrestles with the question]] of obeying the law or helping Jim escape from slavery. He chooses the latter, even though he thinks it ''literally'' puts him on the road to Hell.
74	* Madeleine Miller's Greek myth retellings:
75	** ''Literature/TheSongOfAchilles'': Achilles gets an EitherOrProphecy: if he goes to Troy, he live a short but glorious life; if he doesn't, he'll live a long but obscure one. He chooses the former.
76	** ''Literature/{{Circe}}'': Athena offers a choice to Telemachus, son of her favored Odysseus: lead a glorious life in a rising empire in the West, or become a nobody. [[spoiler:When he chooses the latter, she offers the same to his half-brother Telegonus, who chooses the former.]]
77	* ''Literature/LesMiserables'': When Jean Valjean saves Javert’s life, any other person would have to chose between ToBeLawfulOrGood. Javert’s moralistic dilemma is pretty different:
78	--> ''He beheld before him two paths, both equally straight, but he beheld two; and that terrified him; him, who had never in all his life known more than one straight line. And, the poignant anguish lay in this, that the two paths were contrary to each other. One of these straight lines excluded the other. Which of the two was the true one?...''
79	--> ''... There were only two ways of escaping from it. [[KnightTemplar One was to go resolutely to Jean Valjean, and restore to his cell the convict from the galleys]]. [[DrivenToSuicide The other . . .]]''
80	* The Creator/RobertFrost poem ''The Road Not Taken'' '''parodies''' this trope: even when the guy takes one road, there is no difference with the other except that it was less traveled. Even that is questionable, as the narrator claims that "the passing there had worn them both really about the same"; in other words, the appearance of both roads suggests that they've both had an equal amount of travellers, but the UnreliableNarrator assumes the one he took must have been the less popular choice. The whole point is that these roads were never mutually exclusive and the narrator is only a SmallNameBigEgo that thinks there was any difference. See more at its entry at MisaimedFandom.{{Literature}}
81	* The hero of ''Le Roman de la Rose'' had to choose between The Rose and Reason.
82	* Creator/WoodyAllen sent this up:
83	-->''More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.''
84	* ''Literature/TheBible'' has a slight twist: it's not obvious that there is a choice between {{Heaven}} and {{Hell}}, except to those who search for it.
85	--> Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7, NIV)
86	* ''Literature/WatershipDown'': General Woundwort leads an expedition with the aim of killing the rabbits who've humiliated him and returning the escapees from his warren by force. In an effort to avert bloodshed, Hazel goes alone to meet him. He points out that rabbits have enough enemies without fighting each other, and if they work together a lot of Efrafa's problems (such as overcrowding and rebellion) will be solved.
87	-->At that moment, in the sunset on Watership Down, there was offered to General Woundwort the opportunity to show whether he really was the leader of genius and vision which he believed himself to be, or whether he was no more than a tyrant with the courage and cunning of a pirate. For one beat of his pulse the lame rabbit's idea shone clearly before him. He grasped it and realized what it meant. The next, he had pushed it away from him. [[PartlyCloudyWithAChanceOfDeath The sun dipped into the cloud bank]] and now he could see clearly the track along the ridge, leading to the beech hangar and the bloodshed for which he had prepared with so much energy and care.
88	-->"I haven't time to sit here talking nonsense," said Woundwort.
89	* ''Literature/TheInfected'': Brian Yi has the uncontrollable power to take the place of people in mortal danger, and the only ways to stop it are for him to be too injured/in pain or to be unconscious. At a hospital he is offered a choice, he can let them put him into a medically induced coma and live a long life as a vegetable, or he can join a federal agency of superpowered people, be trained into the ground each day and probably lead a very short, painful and violent life... but with a real chance of saving dozens of lives before he goes. He chooses the latter.
90	* In ''Literature/SoulMusic'', Imp y Celyn, leaving his homeland forever, finds himself at a junction which gives him the option of travelling to the quiet, respectable city of Quirm or the WretchedHive of Ankh-Morpork. He quickly realises the sensible thing to do is to go to the smaller, less intense city, at least until he understands how city life actually ''works''. And since leaving your homeland forever should not involve doing the sensible thing, he heads to Ankh. This kicks off the events of the book. [[spoiler: After said events have been {{Cosmic Retcon}}ned away before they kill him, it's revealed he is (and presumably ''always was'') in Quirm.]]
91	* Similar to the other Greek figures below, Literature/PercyJackson is offered a choice by Hera in ''Heroes of Olympus''. He is offered a choice between retrieving his memories as a demigod hero, and subsequently passing a point of no return fighting another war for the gods, or living a mundane but peaceful life without his old memories.
92	* The Greek myths, and specifically the Hercules one, is parodied in ''Ye Gods!'' by Creator/TomHolt. Faced with the roads of Luxury and Virtue, Jason Derry instead [[TakeAThirdOption takes the road marked "Diversion"]] that has just appeared out of nowhere. This sort of thing happens to him all the time, and he very nearly manages to amble towards the end of his quest without ever actually making a choice at all.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
96	* ''Series/ICarly'': In the episode "iMay Switch Schools", Spencer tries to use this analogy to help Carly decide between staying at Ridgeway or switching to the private school Briarwood. [[SubvertedTrope Unfortunately]], [[PlayedForLaughs he doesn't have an answer and fumbles the execution]].
97	-->'''Spencer:''' Listen, I'm your older brother, so I will help you through this difficult decision. Just... just close your eyes.\
98	'''Carly:''' Okay. ''[closes her eyes]''\
99	'''Spencer:''' Okay. There's two roads in front of you. Road A, and... [[{{Metaphorgotten}} the-the... one on the left]]... ''[pauses, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere then runs out of the room]]]''
100	--> '''Carly''': ''[opens her eyes, then laughs]'' [[SarcasmMode Thank you!]]
101	* Monty Hall's "The box or the curtain?" in ''Series/LetsMakeADeal''.
102	* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'':
103	** In [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E11LatentImage "Latent Image"]], the Emergency Medical Hologram is presented a choice between saving a friend and saving a RedShirt when both had identical chances of survival. The guilt from choosing his friend [[HeroicBSOD drives the EMH insane]] [[LogicBomb as it creates a conflict between his base programming]] and [[GrewBeyondTheirProgramming what he'd become]].
104	** {{Discussed\|Trope}} in "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E25S4E1Scorpion Scorpion]]" when Captain Janeway ponders whether to take a RidiculouslyDifficultRoute between two vastly-superior enemies involved in a genocidal war, or give up their chances of returning to Earth and settle down in the Delta Quadrant. She decides to TakeAThirdOption by forming an EnemyMine alliance with one of the combatants.
105	--->'''Janeway:''' There's a path before me. The only way home. And on either side, mortal enemies bent on destroying each other. If I attempt to pass through them I'll be destroyed as well. But if I turn around, that would end all hope of ever getting home. And no matter how much I try to focus my mind, I can't see an alternative.
106	* In the mini-series ''Series/{{Rhodes}}'', Cecil Rhodes talks to one of his followers about a dream featuring this trope, during which he had a choice of taking the hard path or the easy path. He seems to think he's taking the hard path, but the way he becomes corrupted by power indicates otherwise.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Music]]
110	* [[Music/LedZeppelin "Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run/There's still time to change the road you're on"]]
111	* This trope is the whole basis of the ''[[Music/RushBand Hemispheres]]'' suite; Love and Reason are struggling to be the driving force of humans. In the end, they TakeAThirdOption.
112	* The title song of the album ''Two Highways'' by Music/AlisonKraussAndUnionStation: "Two highways lay before me, which one will I choose?/Down one lane I'd find happiness and down the other I would lose..."
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Myth and Legend]]
116	* [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek myth]]:
117	** "The Judgment of Paris", he had to choose among Wisdom, Power and Love (as personified by Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, respectively). It wasn't entirely a fair choice, though -- all three goddesses used bribes. He chooses Love, and is thus given the love of the most beautiful woman alive -- Helen, who just happens to be married already. This leads directly to UsefulNotes/TheTrojanWar.
118	** A similar prophecy affected Achilles -- he would definitely die bored and unknown if he died old, and he would definitely die young if he went out finding glory in battle (which he is ''very'' good at) -- namely UsefulNotes/TheTrojanWar. He was wanted the latter as a big BloodKnight and died in said war, despite his mother's attempts to keep him out of it.
119	** This is the famous Choice of Heracles: The allegorical figures of Vice and Virtue appeared to him to offer him a choice between a life of pleasures without achievement, and constant striving with great accomplishments. The story, from Prodikos, is told by Xenophon in his ''[[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1177/1177.txt Apomnemoneumata]]''.
120	* In the puzzle KnightsAndKnaves, also known as the "truth-teller and the liar" puzzle, a person is presented with two doors with good or bad outcomes and has to use reason and logic to figure it out.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Theatre]]
124	* Pheidippides had to choose between the two arguments in ''The Clouds''.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
128	* Ride/DisneyThemeParks: ''Ride/IndianaJonesAdventure'' is presented this way. On the ride, the guests enter one of three doors. The doors represent a choice of three gifts from the deity Mara: eternal youth, earthly riches, or visions of the future. [[spoiler: Of course, since Disney can't give you two of those (and won't give you the third), a short time after the choice is made, Mara declares that someone in your car has broken the one rule not to look into his eyes and sends you off to the Gates of Doom.]]
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Video Games]]
132	* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' does this MANY times with the dialogue system, namely the Paragon (selfless, diplomatic, compassionate) and Renegade (aggressive, blunt, rude) responses for Commander Shepard. Each response one way or the other adds to your overall reputation, which measures both scales simultaneously, so you can be equal parts of both or mostly one or however you decide. Basically, it's a series of blue(Paragon) and red(Renegade) "small" doors that add up to an overall picture of whether Shepard is a by the end of the games. Played straight with many of the plot decisions, where there's a clear "one or the other" situation presented, with a corresponding Paragon/Renegade bonus to boot.
133	* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' is like this; while there is no designated "Lightside" and "Darkside" options dialogue, the context in conversations makes it pretty clear, played especially straight near the end, where the decision you make determines which of the two endings you get, regardless of where you are on the Light/Dark scale.
134	** Slightly subverted in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', where the ending you get is based more on whether you're Lightside or Darkside, rather than a clear choice of who to follow or what to do.
135	* Used less than subtly in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' during the second-to-last Catwoman mission. While escaping from the vault with the loot she's been after the entire game, she hears about how Batman is in trouble and has to choose whether to go help him or escape with her money. The vault even has a green line painted toward the Batman door and a red one leading to the exit. You can take the red door if you want but it leads to a NonStandardGameOver where Batman and Gordon are killed and Oracle is left narrating as thugs sent by ComicBook/TheJoker [[spoiler: who has just become immortal]] raid Wayne Mansion.
136	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
137	** A recurring element has the games begin with a choice among the sword, shield and wand, presented by... a caption thing stating in unequivocal terms that the choice will shape the rest of the adventure. (In the first game, at least, the mysterious voice was WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse -- this was ''supposed'' to be obvious from his speech style, but that element ended up LostInTranslation.)
138	** In ''Chain of Memories'', at the end of Riku's story, [[spoiler: [=DiZ=] tells him to choose the road he'll take. The road to light, or the road to darkness. Riku [[TakeAThirdOption chooses the middle road]]. "The road to dawn."]]
139	* The professor offering the player a choice among three starters at the beginning of every ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' game. There are also the fossils you can choose between in most versions, usually with a "fossil maniac" ready to take the one you don't grab.
140	* ''VideoGame/TheStanleyParable'', an EnvironmentalNarrativeGame exploring the concepts of choice and freedoms in video game storytelling, uses a version of this trope with two doors as a central motif. The BigFirstChoice features Stanley (and consequently you, the player) approaching a room with two doors, with the narrator saying "When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his left." The game's developers have revealed that they spent a lot of time designing the layout of the otherwise plain, generic room just to communicate to the player that the choice of which door to take is critical, yet valid with either decision.
141	* The later ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' games began with a series of two-choice presentations, between which of two Virtues conflict in hypothetical situations. This is how the game determines your CharacterClass; each Virtue has a respective class, and the last Virtue you choose is your class. (Protip: Humility is the weakest class, the Shepherd, but because Humility is the basis of all Virtues, it makes being the Avatar easier in the long run.)
142	* The ''VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm'' campaign has evolutions that can be applied to certain units. Once chosen, the evolution is permanent and the unselected one cannot be used for the remainder of the campaign.
143	* In Chapter 9 of ''VideoGame/RakenzarnTales'', Kyuu needs to get into Kandur and can choose between slipping through the border the Knights have set up or by sneaking through a valley that connects to the Cyril Region. Both get him there either way, but it determines which party members and other allies join him on his adventure.
144	* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'': There are four factions that the player can support: The Minutemen, The Railroad, The Institute, and The Brotherhood of Steel. The Minutemen and The Railroad can get along together, but the Railroad, the Institute and the Brotherhood all hate each other, so whoever you support, two or three other factions have to be destroyed. The final decision comes fairly late in the game.
145	* In ''VideoGame/DotHackGU'' Vol 1:Rebirth, Ovan sends an email with this phrase to Haseo after the latter's been Data-Drained by Tri-Edge and reduced to Level 1 in the MMO "The World". He gives Haseo a choice: forget about "The World" and never log in again, or [[EarnYourHappyEnding endure harsh trials in order to discover the truth about "The World"]].
146	* For the final mission of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', [[spoiler:Franklin Clinton]] must make a choice between which of [[spoiler:Michael and Trevor]] he has to betray due to all of the ire they've incurred among the very powerful forces in San Andreas that want them dead. [[spoiler:Rich prick Devin Weston]] lays out the situation in the mission introduction, while noting that he ''could'' try to do something else if he had a death wish since it is so obviously suicidal. [[spoiler:Should Franklin pick either Michael or Trevor to betray, the survivor cuts off all contact with Franklin in disgust at his betrayal. Option C, though significantly more difficult (it ''is'' labelled "Deathwish" on Franklin's phone when you go to decide) since the player must fight both the FIB ''and'' Merryweather, means Franklin betrays neither and instead the trio sets up a trap that ultimately gets rid of all the heat on their backs by extinguishing them themselves; it's considered the most satisfying option by the fandom.]]
147	* Satirized in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'', where EvilOverlord Zinyak gives The Boss a choice between two doors. One (red) means to continue to fight, which he promises will result in the permanent destruction of Earth and the near-eradication of humanity. To enter the other (blue) door is to surrender and be executed, a noble self-sacrifice to save the Earth. Choosing the latter will get you a Non-Standard Game Over and the "You Chose... Poorly" achievement. (Of course the ManipulativeBastard Zinyak was lying anyway.)
148	* In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse''[='=]s GameOver screen, Dagda invokes this trope with the choice to either continue or end the game:
149	--> '''Dagda:''' Hmph. How pitiful, kid. There are two roads before you. One will lead you to your ideals, the other to death. The time is now. Choose!
150	[[/folder]]
151
152	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
153	* In ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'', if the protagonist is still in a relationship with Amanda by the last scene, he will have to choose between her and another girl (Kathy, Heidi, or Lily depending on player choice). This will decide who will be his final girl in the end.
154	* In ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', it is a big decision whether to get into/stay in a relationship with any of the girls, but most of all whether or not to pursue a relationship with Melody herself.
155	[[/folder]]
156
157	[[folder:Webcomics]]
158	* ''Webcomic/WizardSchool'' {{Parodie\|dTrope}}s this. In a riff on ''Franchise/HarryPotter'''s Sorting Hat scene, Graham is told that he stands at [[http://www.wizardschoolcomic.com/index.php?id=80 the crossroads of destiny]] between entering Dragonsbane House to become TheChosenOne and entering Serpentor House to become a CardCarryingVillain and subjugate wizardkind. Being a {{Jerkass}} DesignatedHero, he picks Serpentor, whereupon the dismayed Assigning tells him that he doesn't actually get to choose and sticks him in Dragonsbane anyway.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Western Animation]]
162	* Played for laughs in the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' episode "Another Way," when Finn meets at a crossroads where he must chose between going down a path that will make his hair fall out or a path that will make him smelly forever. [[TakeAThirdOption He ops for a third option]]: going straight through the middle of the two paths, which happens to be covered in thorny bushes.
163	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
164	** At the end of season 2, Iroh tells Zuko he needs to choose whether to side with either the Avatar or Azula. The episode is even called "The Crossroads of Destiny." He chooses Azula, [[spoiler: but it turns out he can change his mind.]]
165	** In the previous episode, Aang is being counseled into opening his chakras, which will allow him to enter the Avatar State at will, and remain in control while he does so -- which has been one of his objectives for the entire season, after he [[WhatHaveIDone unintentionally obliterated an entire enemy fleet]] while in the Avatar State in the previous season finale. All is going well, with Aang facing and overcoming various manifestations of his inner turmoil, until the final chakra, when it transpires that he will have to choose between his "worldly attachments" (read: love) and the "pure cosmic energy" that will allow him to master the Avatar State. He's on the verge of deciding when he has a premonition that his LoveInterest Katara has just been captured and imprisoned. Before he can take off after her, his guru warns him that if he leaves now, he might not be able to use the Avatar State ''at all''. [[spoiler: [[ThePowerOfLove He chooses to go anyway.]]]]
166	* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'':
167	** In the episode "The Hidden", Kowalski can't decide whom to save: Private, who is part of the team, or Marlene, who has vital information. [[spoiler: He continues weighing options - Private owes him money - until both get snagged up.]]
168	** In the episode "Brush with Danger", Kowalski can't decide between saving the world or putting it in the danger of destroying it with his new future invention.
169	* The ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' episode "Haunted House Hang-Up" has the gang on their way to a rock festival when they come to a fork in the road. Fred asks a creepy stranger, Asha Shanks, the way to the Interstate. The left fork is the long way, the right fork is the short way but leads past a mysterious haunted mansion with a headless spectre. They take the short way (Fred: "We're low on gas") and the van overheats and stalls in front of the mansion (of course).
170	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / TwoRoadsBeforeYou