->''A friend in need is a friend indeed.''\\
--'''Proverbial'''

-->''Allies! -- with our backs against the wall\\
I will answer when you call.''\\
-- '''Heart''', "Allies"

A profound test of character: someone is in trouble. Will you stand by him? Help him? Give him moral support? Let others know that you do so, and face their contempt?

It will cost you. It may cost you [[HeroicSacrifice a great deal]].

While pre-existing friendship is possible, demonstrating ThePowerOfFriendship in a FriendshipMoment, the character may also be a {{Mentor}}, or even a stranger who sees the character in need and [[PowerOfTrust trusts]] him. It can create friendship and even the {{Nakama}}, and it is certainly the point at which a character knows he has friends. (If they are VitriolicBestBuds, this may be the point at which the audience realizes they are friends.)

It can also be the way the WorthyOpponent demonstrates his worthiness, and the FriendlyEnemy his friendliness, by some act such as acting as CharacterWitness for TheHero, or preventing him from being stabbed InTheBack.

Conversely failing at this can be how such groups as the GirlPosse reveal that they are not really friends.

ChronicHeroSyndrome is a tendency to a certain type of this trope.

SuperTrope of GoodSamaritan, IGotYouCovered, AbandonedByTheCavalry, and GreaterNeedThanMine. Compare FireForgedFriends. Contrast FairWeatherMentor. In a more cynical series villains or even protagonists may wind up DyingAlone instead.

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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime ]]

* ''HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'': Used in a pretty dark way - [[spoiler:Rena killed a woman who tried to seduce her father for his money (and the woman's lover) and tried to hide it from her friends; however, when they discover the truth, they unanimously agree to help her dispose of the bodies]].
** Furthermore, in the same arc, [[spoiler:When Rena is affected by the same [[AxCrazy paranoid delusions]] Keiichi had fallen to in the first arc, the friends all group together to save her, rather than abandoning her to the [[DownerEnding unfortunate fate]] despite/because Keiichi knows that Rena had tried to save him risking her life before.]]
** In another arc, Shion [[spoiler:decides in Keiichi's place to go kill Satoko's uncle. When Keiichi fails to convince her out of it, he and Rena decide to go along to make sure she's all right and help in the murder]].
** In case it's not too obvious - the "arc" of the entire series more or less happens to be [[spoiler: eternally repeating Groundhog Day-style loop]]
*Franz in ''{{Gankutsuou}}''. He took his best friend's Albert's place in a duel with The Count, an event both knew would have negative outcomes. [[spoiler: Tragically, this [[HeroicSacrifice causes him to die during the duel]]; Albert is too late to stop it. Sucks]].
* Mr. 2 Bon Kurei (real name Bentham, nickname Bon-chan) in ''OnePiece'' is perhaps the epitome of this trope. His every action outside of when he was part of a QuirkyMinibossSquad is motivated by feelings of friendship and prompts him to take risks even when he has no obligation to do so.
** In the Alabasta arc, he met and befriended the Straw Hat pirates for all of five minutes before being retrieved by his ship and discovering they were enemies. After the arc ended and they were no longer foes, Bon-chan helped the Straw Hats in their escape from a Marine blockade. While this part was somewhat self-serving since it helps his own escape prospects, when the Straw Hats risk it all to give a farewell to a friend, Bon Chan is so touched he ends up risking his own capture to ensure they can pull it off and get away.
** Later, during the "Meet Baroque" cover story arc, Bon Kurei gave his aid to Miss Goldenweek and Mr. 5's attempts to rescue Ms. Valentine and the other incarcerated Officer Agents of Baroque Works. This act ''does'' result in his capture and sentence to Level Three of [[TheAlcatraz Impel Down]].
** After getting out of his cell in the prison Impel Down, Bon-chan offers to help the currently intruding Luffy reach his destination because it coincides with is own goal. He suffers a moment of weakness here and leaves Luffy behind to face Chief Warden Magellan alone, but comes back to rescue Luffy afterward and helps find treatment for his severe poisoning from the loss. The cause for this moment of weakness is that he knows Magellan's reputation [[spoiler: and by the end of the arc, it was shown Magellan was powerful enough to simultaneously beat Luffy (''the main character''), some guy with a type advantage over Magellan's own abilities and several escaped prisoners armed with guns and '''cannons''']]. After shouting for seven hours straight for Luffy to recover quickly, Bon-chan is himself recovered in time for the breakout. However, [[spoiler: the only way the escaping prisoners can get past their final obstacle, The Gates of Justice, is if someone stays behind and opens them from within the prison. While Bon-chan successfully does this, he draws the full attention and killing intent of Magellan, who he promptly challenges '''alone''', with his own eulogy in the background, ]] all while declaring he has no regrets.
* Happens frequently and reciprocally in ''ShokojoSera'' - Sara and her friends, especially Ermengarde, Becky and Peter, have one of these moments almost every other episode.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* The {{Flash}} was desperately worried about his dying wife, but he had to look after his two children -- until Arsenal cleverly brought his daughter to the League tower. This distracted the Flash's children enough so that Arsenal could look after them all, and Flash, after calling him a friend in need, could join his wife.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* In {{Newsies}}, this triggers Jack's change of heart after [[spoiler: abandoning the strike; when he sees his friend David and ShallowLoveInterest Sarah being threatened by Pulitzer's goons, he weighs in to help them, knowing that he's sacrificing the cushy position Pulitzer promised him.]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In DanAbnett's ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' GauntsGhosts novel ''His Last Command'', when Gaunt and his team are brought before a tribunal on suspicion of being Chaos-tainted, Ludd volunteers to defend them. Although he is a junior commissiar, he knows no one else will and that they will assigned someone who hates them if he doesn't.
** In ''Blood Pact'', when Dalin Criid delivers a report, Hark knows there's another reason because it doesn't take two and he can see Merrt in the hall behind him. Merrt tells Hark that he came for moral support.
* In William King's ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' SpaceWolf novel ''Wolfblade'', while Ragnar awaits his TrialOfTheMysticalJury, his friend Sven stays with him, grousing about the injustice, until their old teacher Ranek comes to send him away, saying his loyalty does him credit but might harm him. Then Ranek explains that he will defend Ragnar, that he volunteered to do so, and that he believes he is not Chaos-tainted.
* At the end of SandyMitchell's CiaphasCain novel ''The Traitor's Hand'', when Cain is awaiting the judgment of the tribunal, the colonel and XO of his regiment wait with him.
* In BenCounter's ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' HorusHeresy novel ''Galaxy in Flames'', Tarvitz realizes that the ship following him is under the command of a [[FireForgedFriends friend]], Garro, and appeals to him, [[spoiler:telling him of Horus's treacherous attack. Garro shoots down his pursuers, and then begs him to [[IGaveMyWord assure him that he told the truth]].]]
* In CSLewis's ''[[{{Narnia}} A Horse and His Boy]]'', when Shasta tells the horse that he really needs someone who could tell him whether the nobleman is [[AristocratsAreEvil evil]], Bree reveals his speech to tell him that he is. Which gives Bree the opening to suggest that they could run away together.
** Later, when they meet Aravis and Hwin, Aravis reveals that Hwin stopped her [[DrivenToSuicide from killing herself]] before ''their'' decision to run away together.
* In Jim Butcher's DresdenFiles novel ''Death Masks'', when Harry needs a second, Charity, although she despises him, truthfully says that Michael would have helped him, and Shiro volunteers to fill the role. Later, [[spoiler:Shiro voluntarily takes Harry's place as Nicomedus's prisoner]].
** In ''Dead Beat'', Harry hears Billy and Georgia talking: Billy wants to help Harry, but Georgia is afraid that his trouble is too big for them, and so they would end up hindering him instead.
** And in ''Proven Guilty'', Murphy comes along to help him pull a BigDamnHeroes moment [[spoiler:even though she's in the middle of leading an investigation and got demoted from head of SI to sergeant for disappearing.]]
* In DorothyLSayers's LordPeterWimsey novel ''Strong Poison'', two of Harriet's friends stick by her through the trial.
* Ron and Hermione in ''HarryPotter'', who repeatedly risk their lives out of loyalty to Harry when they could easily choose to go about their normal teenaged lives instead. In Ron's case, he's willing to make a HeroicSacrifice on Harry's behalf as early as the first book.
* In Nick Kyme's {{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''Salamander'', Daki'er, when troubled by his discovery of an artifact, appeals to Ba'ken to forget that he is his sergeant and speak to him as his friend; Ba'ken tells him that it does seem that he was [[BecauseDestinySaysSo intended to find it]] and touches his arm in support.
* In EdgarRiceBurroughs's ''[[JohnCarterOfMars The Gods of Mars]]'', when Xador loses favor because of his defeat at John Carter's hands, all his erstwhile friends fail this utterly, much to Carter's horror. Carter therefore intervenes on his behalf.
--->''My blood was up. For minutes it had been boiling at the cowardly treatment they had been according this once powerful comrade because he had fallen from the favour of Issus. I had no love for Xodar, but I cannot stand the sight of cowardly injustice and persecution without seeing red as through a haze of bloody mist, and doing things on the impulse of the moment that I presume I never should do after mature deliberation.''
** Later, when a companion proposes a way to escape, John Carter says he can't leave Xodar, and his companion agrees that recapture would be better than deserting a comrade.
** Still later, Kantos Kan, Carter's FireForgedFriends from ''A Princess Of Mars'', pledges his support to Carter after hearing a death sentence on him. Fortunately, this inspires the crowds.
** In ''The Chessman of Mars'', when Tara is on trial as a [[{{Necromancer}} Corphal]], U-Thor advises her:
--->''"Yet you do not deny the accusation," said O-Tar.\\
"It is not worthy the dignity of a denial," she responded haughtily.\\
"And I were you, woman," said a deep voice at her side, "I should, nevertheless, deny it."\\
Tara of Helium turned to see the eyes of U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos, upon her. Brave eyes they were, but neither cold nor cruel. O-Tar rapped impatiently upon the arm of his throne. "U-Thor forgets," he cried, "that O-Tar is the jeddak."\\
"U-Thor remembers," replied the jed of Manatos, "that the laws of Manator permit any who may be accused to have advice and counsel before their judge."''
** In ''A Fighting Man of Mars'', when Tan Hadron has been condemned to The Death, his fellow prisoner Nur An condoles with him and tells him they will suffer together. Tan Hadron encourages him, reminding him they aren't dead yet.
* In TerryPratchett's ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'', Glenda and Trev both stick up for Nutt. Trev, in fact, tells Ridcully that Nutt is his friend, and he won't stand for him being hurt.
* In ''WinnieThePooh'',
** Christopher Robin pretends to believe that Pooh is a cloud to try to fool the beese and shoots down the balloon to get Pooh away from the bees.
** Christopher Robin reads to Pooh when he's stuck in Rabbit's front door.
** Pooh and Christopher Robin go to rescue Piglet in the flood, and Owl, well-intentioned, goes to encourage him with news that rescue is coming and tell him a story to divert his attention (accidentally endangering as it nearly puts Piglet to sleep and causes him to slip into the flood, but he meant well).
** Pooh helps Tigger finds something to eat.
** Tigger goes to rescue Rabbit when he's lost in the mist.
** Piglet volunteers his home for Owl to live in after Owl's is destroyed.
** Pooh says Piglet would come live with him if he lost his home.
* In CharlesDickens's ''ATaleOfTwoCities'', Charles Darnay returns to France to save the man who had adminstered his estates while he lived in England; and, of course, Sydney Carton.
* In WenSpencer's ''Endless Blue'', Mikhail recalls such moments between him and Turk: Turk's stopping him from committing suicide, and his attacking a man who had hurt Turk, because Turk had bitten the man, and by attacking, he ensured that this was not just a matter of a Red attacking a human.
* In PatriciaCWrede's ''Thirteenth Child'', William comes to visit Eff every day when she is recovering from rheumatic fever.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

*Simon Tam's rescue of his sister in {{Firefly}}. One of the best examples ever. As it happens both TheGovernment and her parents who were supposed to protect her, betrayed her. And her big brother did not.
**"I didn't think you'd come for me." "Well you're a dummy".
**"You take care of me, Simon. You always take care of me. [[YouShallNotPass My turn.]]"
***Which was an Awesome MamaBear moment and a well handled ironic reversal. Well done, Joss!
** Don't you dare forget that Simon stood besides her on that pyre!
** The whole team storming into Nishka's fortress to rescue Mal without a moment's hesitation.
** Mal protects his old war-buddy from an evil Alliance official in ''The Message''.
** Mal comes to Innara's aid in ''Serenity'' even knowing it was a trap.
* In {{Torchwood}}, after Ianto deceived them all, nearly killing them all, by hiding a Cyberman whom he did not realize was no longer the woman he loved, and the Cyberman was killed, Ianto grieved. Much to his surprise, Jack touched his arm in a gesture of support.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* ''ElGoonishShive'', Tedd swallows his longstanding fear of being called girly to support Susan in her cause by crossdressing at school. It's a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.
** One should [[YourMileageMayVary note]] that crossdressing in this case meant ''wearing a vest''. He didn't go all out and wear the skirt, which leads one to wonder if the hecklers were overreacting ''just a tad''.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Aeka's route in YumeMiruKusuri focuses on this. Kouhei starts as the only person who will speak to her. [[spoiler:Except Kouhei ''still'' doesn't stand up for her until about 90% of the way through her route because he simply doesn't want to make trouble for himself. The rest of the class is even worse.]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

*After an argument with [[DannyPhantom Danny]], Sam inadvertently wished they never met, causing a nearby LiteralGenie to grant it; Danny ends up losing his powers and memories of her. With a ghost on the loose, Sam goes to great lengths to [[AmnesiaDanger restore Danny back to normal]], struggling since she only has herself to pull the whole thing off, not to mention Danny's great reluctance. He's grateful by end.
* The Disney version of ''TheJungleBook'' has a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cKA-Pf3qLc song]] about this very trope, performed by four friendly singing vultures to a depressed Mowgli. They do flee when Shere Kahn turns up, but during the fight they also swoop in and harass the tiger, so it's not like they were lying.

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