History Main / DefaultToGood

* During the ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' CrisisCrossover event, the Anti-Registration side led by Captain America attempted to recruit Namor to their cause. Despite Namor being predisposed towards them thanks to his old friendship with Cap (and the fact that [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Susan Richards]], who he still carried a torch for, was doing the asking), he declined since in his role as King of Atlantis he felt a schism between Cap and Iron Man to not be his problem. He eventually leads an army of Atlanteans to aid Cap's forces in the final battle, partially because Iron Man's Pro-Registration side tried to pressure him into formally siding with them, something the notoriously independent-minded Namor considered insulting. Cap's decision to surrender makes his choice pointless.

* In Creator/GarthNix's ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series, this role falls to [[spoiler:Yrael, also called Mogget]].

* During the ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' CrisisCrossover event, the Anti-Registration side led by Captain America attempted to recruit Namor to their cause. Despite Namor being predisposed towards them thanks to his old friendship with Cap (and the fact that [[ComicBook/Fantastic Four Susan Richards]], who he still carried a torch for, was doing the asking), he declined since in his role as King of Atlantis he felt a schism between Cap and Iron Man to not be his problem. He eventually leads an army of Atlanteans to aid Cap's forces in the final battle, though Cap's decision to surrender makes his choice pointless.

* Happens a couple of times in Film/MichaelClayton to two different characters.

* Gabriel winds up doing this in Series/{{Supernatural}}. He helped advance the villain's agenda in his second appearance on the show, and tried to advance it in his third, because he thinks the whole destined mess should be gotten over with as quickly as possible, but he doesn't actively back either side. His official story is he doesn't care; it's pretty clear he doesn't want to be responsible for either side losing because he cares about them ''both'', but then:

* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' cosmology, St. Cuthbert, the god of justice and retribution, may be the UrExample for that setting. He has LawfulNeutral as an InUniverse alignment, but sources say that he sides with Good when given the choice, because Evil beings break laws more often than Good ones. (He does not allow evil worshippers, and many Paladin's are among his clergy.)

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'', the powerful angel called Vigilant Gaze Purges the Horizon is introduced as a ponderous observer who makes no judgement and takes no action. Two books later, he's impressed enough with White Chain being the only angel who's actually trying to do ''good'', particularly in contrast with Juggernaught Star who's an OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar, that he sides with the former. His dialogue suggests he was always theoretically good, but taking it into practice is another matter.
--> "God, called '''Yisun''', has entrusted us with the world itself! How can we be so prideful as to judge it? She is the only one of us not afraid of fulfilling her duty, yet we spurn her! No longer! By my honor as a Knight of the Holy Concordance -- '''unhand our sister!'''"

* In ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'', the powerful angel called Vigilant Gaze Purges the Horizon is introduced as a ponderous observer who makes no judgement and takes no action. Two books later, he's impressed enough with White Chain being the only angel who's actually trying to do ''good'', particularly in contrast with Juggernaught Star who's an OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar, that he sides with the former.

--> "God, called '''Yisun''', has entrusted us with the world itself! How can we be so prideful as to judge it? She is the only one of us not afraid of fulfilling her duty, yet we spurn her! No longer!"

* In ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'', the powerful angel called Vigilant Gaze Purges the Horizon is introduced as a ponderous observer who makes no judgement and takes no action. Two books later, he's impressed enough with White Chain being the only angel who's actually trying to do ''good'', in contrast with Juggernaught Star who's an OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar, that he sides with the former.

* In ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'', the powerful angel Called Vigilant Gaze Purges the Horizon is introduced as a ponderous observer who makes no judgement and takes no action. Two books later, he's impressed enough with White Chain being the only angel who's actually trying to do ''good'', in contrast with Juggernaught Star who's an OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar, that he sides with the former.

--> God, called '''Yisun''', has entrusted us with the world itself! How can we be so prideful as to judge it? She is the only one of us not afraid of fulfilling her duty, yet we spurn her! No longer!

** From the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'', Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, and the rest of the Smugglers' Alliance in ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy''. Took a MistreatmentInducedBetrayal to convince Karrde and Jade, and they had a hard time convincing the others. When they tried to do so, perhaps having realized his previous mistake with Karrde's organization, Thrawn gave specific orders to leave the other smugglers alone so that they'd continue to have no dog in the fight. A less intelligent informant of Thrawn's managed to ruin this in a play for personal glory, bringing most of the other major groups on board with forming the Smugglers' Alliance.

* As noted in the starting quote, [[Franchise/StarWars Han Solo]] is the most famous example of this trope. While he certainly wasn't the first to pull this move, people of a certain generation will never forget "YAHOOOOO! You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."

[[folder: TabletopGames]]

* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Jolee Bindo is technically of neutral alignment, and doesn't really see the whole Light Side and Dark Side conflicts the same way as the rest of the party, pointing out that this latest conflict isn't much different than any other conflict. Heroes and tyrants rise and fall, historians sort out who goes where and the galaxy keeps running. However, as much of a good show he puts up about being neutral, he often pushes for light-side actions, gets very snarky at a PlayerCharacter picking a petty dark side action, and is the first to speak up against [[spoiler: Bastila and the case she makes for joining her and ruling the Sith]].

-->'''Gabriel:''' I've been riding the pine a long time, but I'm in the game now. And I'm not on your side, or Michael's. [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming I'm on theirs.]]\\

* ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Jolee Bindo is technically of neutral alignment, and doesn't really see the whole Light Side and Dark Side conflicts the same way as the rest of the party, pointing out that this latest conflict isn't much different than any other conflict. Heroes and tyrants rise and fall, historians sort out who goes where and the galaxy keeps running. However, as much of a good show he puts up about being neutral, he often pushes for light-side actions, gets very snarky at a PlayerCharacter picking a petty dark side action, and is the first to speak up against [[spoiler Bastila and the case she makes for joining her and ruling the Sith]].

* Red X from ''TeenTitans''. While on the whole an unrepentant thief and a ChaoticNeutral character who is on his ''own'' side, whenever it really counted, he chose to side with the heroes rather than the villains. Especially notable considering the fact that in both cases he ''did'' have the option to just walk away and choose neither side.

* Guts, from ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'', was a freelancing career mercenary who only went where the money was and didn't pick sides. When he's first introduced as a teen mercenary, he's fighting for [[TheEmpire the Tudor Empire]] (and they won the battle because of Guts), but then immediately leaves the job after his contract is fulfilled. But after being spotted by Griffith and his mercenary army, of which Guts helped fight against, [[DefeatMeansFriendship Guts was recruited]] to the Band of the Hawk, who were employed by [[TheKingdom the Kingdom of Midland]] to help fight against Tudor. When Guts went from default to the side of Midland, the kingdom got a HUGE advantage during the war.