History Main / LoyaltyMission

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had an early version of the Loyalty Missions in the form of sidequests given to you by your alien squadmates. How important the sidequest is to the plot varies depending on the quest and character. In the case of both Wrex and Tali, their respective sidequests are important when completed as Wrex's sidequest can help you convince him to stand down on Virmire without needing high Paragon/Renegade points, and Tali's sidequest is what helps her complete her [[RiteOfPassage Pilgrimage]]. On the other hand, Garrus' sidequest ultimately doesn't change anything, as even if you convinced him to be a more Paragon ByTheBookCop in this game, he still acts as a Renegade CowboyCop come the second game.

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', where several [[NonPlayerCompanion followers]] will only join you on a permanent basis after you go on a specific side mission with them.

*** Shadow is a strictly [[GuestStarPartyMember temporary]] (and usually [[OptionalPartyMember optional]]) party member throughout the World of Balance. By making sure he safely escapes the Floating Continent, rescuing him from the Cave on the Veldt, and tracking him down at the Dragon's Neck Coliseum, you can gain his loyalty for the rest of the game and also find out some of his backstory via DreamSequence.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' has bonus missions centering around one or two characters, often even involving students from multiple houses. These missions generally focus on the relationship between these particular characters and/or resolve some problem plaguing one or both of them. Rewards generally include relic weapons that only one of the characters in the mission (or a character with the same Crest) can use properly, other rare items, and special support battalions.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member gives you a mission to help sort out a personal issue they have. If completed successfully, said party member will give their full loyalty and support to Shepard, which in turn unlocks a power or skill unique to them and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks matching uniforms based on Cerberus designs]]. If you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. Despite being listed as main missions, the loyalty missions are technically optional as it is possible to complete the final mission without doing them. However, each disloyal squadmate drastically decreases your chances of surviving, to the point that not completing any loyalty missions at all will result in your entire party being [[EveryBodyDiesEnding massacred to the last man including Shepard]].

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member gives you a mission to help sort out a personal issue they have. If completed successfully, said party member will give their full loyalty and support to Shepard, which in turn unlocks a power or skill unique to them and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks matching uniforms based on Cerberus designs]]. If you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. Despite being listed as main missions, the loyalty missions are technically optional as it is possible to complete the final mission without them. However, each disloyal squadmate drastically decreases your chances of surviving, to the point that not completing any loyalty missions at all will result in your entire party being [[EveryBodyDiesEnding massacred to the last man including Shepard]].

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member gives you a mission to help sort out a personal issue they have. If completed successfully, said party member will give their full loyalty and support to Shepard, which in turn unlocks a power or skill unique to them and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks matching uniforms based on Cerberus designs]]. If you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. Loyalty missions are technically optional, but each disloyal squadmate decreases your chances of surviving the finale sequence. It's possible to complete the final mission without bothering about loyalty, but there will be many casualties, up to and including an EveryBodyDiesEnding.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had an early version of the Loyalty Missions in the form of sidequests given to you by your alien squadmates. However, only Wrex's actually turns out to be important later; completing it lets you convince him to stand down on [[AHouseDivided Virmire]] without needing high Charm or Intimidate skills.

TheHero has a useful ally who's helping them out on TheQuest and may even be a nominal part of their crew or organization. Their goals more or less align with the rest of the cast and they have a decent working relationship, but there's some concern that they might be a FairWeatherFriend. Maybe they're NotInThisForYourRevolution or are HiredGuns who's OnlyInItForTheMoney. Maybe they'd love to dedicate themselves fully to TheQuest, but they've got some pressing matter that prevents them from giving it their full attention. Maybe their backstory and motivations are mysterious. It's uncertain whether they'll be AFriendInNeed when the chips are down... or maybe it ''is'' certain that the answer is "no." What to do?

This is a mission or SideQuest that's not directly related to TheQuest or main mission of the protagonists, but secures the loyalty of one or more members of the group. To them, ItsPersonal and helping them complete this task converts them from an ally of convenience to a [[TrueCompanions True Companion]]. Narratively, it also provides a convenient excuse to explore the character's backstory and motivations and/or give them a DayInTheLimelight.

Common Loyalty Missions include rescuing or avenging loved ones, saving hometowns, [[FindTheCure Finding The Cure]], retrieving personal {{Upgrade Artifact}}s or {{Ancestral Weapon}}s, taking down personal [[ArchEnemy Arch Enemies]], or sometimes several at once. In video games, completing Loyalty Missions may unlock gameplay bonuses or cosmetic options for that character.

** Nearly every companion in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' eventually approaches you for help with something and leaves if you fail to assist them. Jaheira has troubles with the Harpers, Anomen receives news that his sister is murdered, etc. Some companions, like Nalia and Valygar, can only be recruited ''after'' you complete their respective missions.

** Leliana is attacked by her former lover/partner-in-crime, who you must eventually confront.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member gives you a mission to help them sort out a personal issue they have. If completed successfully, said party member will give their full loyalty and support to Shepard, which in turn unlocks a power or skill unique to them and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks matching uniforms based on Cerberus designs]]. If you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. Despite being listed as main missions, the loyalty missions are technically optional as it is possible to complete the final mission without them. However, each disloyal squadmate drastically decreases your chances of surviving, to the point that not completing any loyalty missions at all will result in your entire party being [[EveryBodyDiesEnding massacred to the last man including Shepard]].
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had an early version of the Loyalty Missions in the form of sidequests given to you by your alien squadmates. How important the sidequest is to the plot varies depending on the quest and character. In Wrex's case, it can actually help you convince him to stand down on Virmire without needing high Paragon/Renegade points, while Garrus' ultimately doesn't change anything as he still acts like a CowboyCop come the second game even if you convinced him to be more Paragon.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' has them, although unlike ''Mass Effect 2'' they only serve as ADayInTheLimelight and unlock their Rank 6 powers.

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** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member gives you a mission to help them sort out a personal issue they have. If completed successfully, said party member will give their full loyalty and support to Shepard, which in turn unlocks a power or skill unique to them and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks a snazzy new uniform]] such that if you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. Despite being listed as main missions, the loyalty missions are technically optional as it is possible to complete the final mission without them. However, each disloyal squadmate drastically decreases your chances of surviving, to the point that not completing any loyalty missions at all will result in your entire party being [[EveryoneDies massacred to the last man including Shepard]].

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member has an optional SideQuest that secures their full loyalty, unlocks a power or skill unique to them, and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks a snazzy new uniform]] such that if you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. It's also possible to invert the trope by failing in specific ways, causing you to ''lose'' the loyalty and friendship of previously-die-hard crew members.

*** To get Sabin's ultimate Blitz ability "Bum Rush" you have to find his teacher who's been missing and presumed dead since before Sabin's introduction.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' had an early version of the Loyalty Missions in the form of sidequests given to you by your alien squadmates. How important the sidequest is in regards to the plot varies, in Wrex's case it can actually help you convince him to stand down on Virmire without needing high Paragon/Renegade points, while Garrus' ultimately doesn't change anything as he still acts like a CowboyCop come the second game even if you convinced him to be more Paragon.

* In the final season of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', [[spoiler:Zuko]] has finally made a HeelFaceTurn and joined the Gaang, but nobody fully trusts him since they've been burned by him before ([[PlayingWithFire pun not intended]]). Aang, Sokka, and Katara each then get an episode (or two-parter, in Sokka's case) where they and [[spoiler:Zuko]] go off on their own to deal with personal matters. Lampshaded in the first part of the finale, where Toph immediately offers to partner with [[spoiler:Zuko]] so she can have her own "life-changing field trip".

* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series:
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' has a primitive form of this. In particular, helping Wrex obtain his ancestral armor wins his loyalty enough that you can talk him down from potentially turning on you without needing a high enough Paragon or Renegade rank or putting yourself in a UnintentionallyUnwinnable position. The fact that Garrus, Tali, and Liara effectively have two loyalty missions [[UndyingLoyalty explains a lot]]. So does the fact that [[BrokenPedestal Kaidan and Ashley have none]].

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' has these, called "Affinity Missions." They're your main source of recruiting additional party members, and later ones enable the PlayerCharacter to [[PowerCopying learn the other characters' signature Arts]].

Common Loyalty Missions include rescuing or avenging loved ones, saving hometowns, [[FindTheCure Finding The Cure]], retrieving personal {{Upgrade Artifact}}s or {{Ancestral Weapon}}s, taking down personal [[ArchEnemy Arch Enemies]], or sometimes several at once. In video games, completing Loyalty Missions may unlock gameplay bonuses for that character.

* The [[ReCut Director's Cut]] version of the Dragonfall expansion for ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'' has loyalty missions for all of the runner members of your crew where you help them resolve issues from their past. Unusually for this trope one of the loyalty missions is not a side quest but one of the main missions of the game that gives the loyalty reward if Dietrich accompanies you.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' has a primitive form of this. In particular, helping Wrex obtain his ancestral armor wins his loyalty enough that you can talk him down from potentially turning on you without needing a high enough Paragon or Renegade rank or putting yourself in a near-UnwinnableByInsanity position. The fact that Garrus, Tali, and Liara effectively have two loyalty missions [[UndyingLoyalty explains a lot]]. So does the fact that [[BrokenPedestal Kaidan and Ashley have none]].

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member has an optional SideQuest that secures their full loyalty, unlocks a power or skill unique to them, and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks a snazzy new uniform]] such that if you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. It's also possible to invert the trope by failing in specific ways, causing you to ''lose'' the loyalty and friendship of previously-die-hard crew members, which can be a real TearJerker.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' has a primitive form of this. In particular, helping Wrex obtain his ancestral armor wins his loyalty enough that you can talk him down from potentially turning on you without needing a high enough Paragon or Renegade rank. The fact that Garrus, Tali, and Liara effectively have two loyalty missions [[UndyingLoyalty explains a lot]]. So does the fact that [[BrokenPedestal Kaidan and Ashley have none]].

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member has an optional SideQuest that secures their full loyalty and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks a snazzy new uniform]] such that if you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. It's also possible to invert the trope by failing in specific ways, causing you to ''lose'' the loyalty and friendship of previously-die-hard crew members, which can be a real TearJerker.

TheHero has a useful ally who's helping them out on TheQuest and may even be a nominal part of their crew or organization. Their goals more or less align with the rest of the cast and they have a decent working relationship, but there's some concern that they might be a FairWeatherFriend. Maybe they're NotInThisForYourRevolution or are a HiredGuns who's OnlyInItForTheMoney. Maybe they'd love to dedicate themselves fully to TheQuest, but they've got some pressing matter that prevents them from giving it their full attention. Maybe their backstory and motivations are mysterious. It's uncertain whether they'll be AFriendInNeed when the chips are down... or maybe it ''is'' certain that the answer is "no." What to do?

TheHero has a useful ally who's helping them out on TheQuest and may even be a nominal part of their crew or organization. Their goals more or less align with the rest of the cast and they have a decent working relationship, but there's some concern that they might be a FairWeatherFriend. Maybe they're NotInThisForYourRevolution or are a HiredGun who's OnlyInItForTheMoney. Maybe they'd love to dedicate themselves fully to TheQuest, but they've got some pressing matter that prevents them from giving it their full attention. Maybe their backstory and motivations are mysterious. It's uncertain whether they'll be AFriendInNeed when the chips are down... or maybe it ''is'' certain that the answer is "no." What to do?

* Han Solo of ''Franchise/StarWars'' originally joins the Rebel Alliance as a HiredGun who is OnlyInItForTheMoney and the TropeNamer for NotInThisForYourRevolution. He has a [[HeelFaceTurn change of heart]] at the end of ''Film/ANewHope'', but is still unable to commit fully to the Rebellion due to a bounty placed on his head by Jabba the Hutt, and in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' sets off to pay off his debt and clear the bounty but is captured before he can do so. It's not until the debt is... rather ''forcibly'' cleared by Luke, Leia, and the gang in the beginning of ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' that he's free and clear to kick Imperial ass and woo beautiful princesses.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is the TropeNamer. Every party member has an optional SideQuest that secures their full loyalty and increases their chances of surviving the SuicideMission at the end of the game. It also [[AndYourRewardIsClothes unlocks a snazzy new uniform]] such that if you successfully complete all of the Loyalty Missions, your crew will go from a RagtagBandOfMisfits to a unified fighting force. It's also possible to invert the trope by failing in specific ways, causing you to ''lose'' the loyalty and friendship of previously-die-hard crew members, which can be a real TearJerker.
* They exist in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' as well. In particular, helping Wrex obtain his ancestral armor wins his loyalty enough that you can talk him down from potentially turning on you without needing a high enough Paragon or Renegade rank. The fact that Garrus, Tali, and Liara effectively have two loyalty missions [[UndyingLoyalty explains a lot]]. So does the fact that [[BrokenPedestal Kaidan and Ashley have none]].
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' franchise:
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Several optional {{Side Quest}}s in the World of Ruin count:
*** The [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind Cyan's Nightmare]] sequence purges all fear and doubt from Cyan's mind and provides closure with his departed wife and son, unlocking all of his [=SwordTech=] techniques.
*** The player can take Strago to hunt the legendary monster Hidon and avenge his old friend who has been (seemingly) mortally injured by the beast. The fight also gives him the opportunity to learn the BlueMagic "Grand Train," which is on par with Ultima as one of the game's most powerful magic attacks.
*** Shadow is a strictly [[GuestStarPartyMember temporary]] (and usually [[OptionalPartyMember optional]]) party member throughout the World of Balance. By making sure he safely escapes the Floating Continent, rescuing him from the Cave on the Veldt, and tracking him down at the Dragon's Neck Coliseum, you can gain his loyalty for the rest of the game and also find out some of his backstory via DreamSequence.
*** Helping Terra free the town of Mobliz from the demon Phunbaba in the World of Ruin frees her from protecting the town and allows her to dedicate herself to the party full-time... and also resolves her confusion over her ability to love and shows her what she's fighting for, [[PowerOfLove doubling the duration of her Morph ability]].
*** To get Sabin's ultimate Blitz ability "Bum Rush" you have to find his teacher who's been missing and presumed dead since before Sabin's introduction.
*** Locke went searching for a cure for his dead girlfriend in the Phoenix Cave. To find him and make him join, you need to find this cure. The treasures Locke gives you when you meet are a nice bonus.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'':
*** When Red XIII originally joins the party, he agrees to accompany them only as far as his hometown of Cosmo Canyon. Upon arriving there, he and the party fight through a dungeon full of vengeful ghosts in order to discover the truth about his estranged father. Afterwards, he joins the TrueCompanions permanently.
*** [[OptionalPartyMember Yuffie]] is a young thief and ninja who joins the party under suspicious circumstances and obviously plots to rob them blind. If the party wanders near her hometown of Wutai, she does just that, leading to a SideQuest involving tracking her down and ultimately rescuing her from Don Corneo. Afterward, she rejoins the party fully committed to their cause, although she still plans to rob them of their Materia after the main quest is over. Completing this quest also gives her the option of taking on a series of challenging one-on-one fights culminating with a duel with [[CallingTheOldManOut her father]] that unlocks her final LimitBreak.
* Frog gets this ''twice'' in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'':
** He first joins Crono and Lucca as a GuestStarPartyMember to rescue Queen Leene, but then retreats to a swamp to mope because he failed to prevent her from being kidnapped in the first place. Fetching the Hero Medal and reforging [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement the Masamune]] snaps him out of his funk and gets him to join the party permanently.
** Much later, freeing the ghost of his old friend Cyrus from its torment gives Frog additional closure and, incidentally, [[InfinityPlusOneSword the Masamune a much-needed power boost]].

* Companion quests in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' function this way. They range from helping [[ColdSniper Boone]] [[TheAtoner make peace with his past]] to upgrading [[RobotBuddy ED-E]] to convincing [[OldMaster Raul]] to either pick up his guns again and defend the weak or to gracefully accept that his glory days are gone. All of them involve you advising them on a major decision about their life, with each decision effecting a different perk and/or new gear and that characters ending the ModularEpilogue.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' continues the tradition, with four of your companions having personal quests that unlock when you reach enough Affinity with them. Cait seeks a cure for her addiction to Psycho, Nick Valentine seeks closure on a very personal case, Curie seeks to become human, and [=MacCready=] seeks both to get rid of his Gunner harassers and to find a cure for his son. Danse has a variant in that it is instead unlocked while following the main questline with the Brotherhood of Steel and [[spoiler:it can end with him being killed if the player doesn't take careful steps to prevent it]].

* As you save the Saints in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'', the boss can join them on personal loyalty missions that, when complete, enables them to have superpowers just like the boss. Also, securing the loyalty of your entire crew is required to [[spoiler:unlock the GoldenEnding]].
* The [[ReCut Director's Cut]] version of the Dragonfall expansion for ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'' has loyalty missions for all of the runner members of your crew where you help them resolve issues from their past. Unusually for this trope one of the loyalty missions is not a side quest but one of the main missions of the game that gives the loyalty reward if Dietrich accompanies you.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', most party members had personal quests that could be unlocked by talking to them and learning their backstory, though the rewards were usually little more than ExperiencePoints and resolution to their character arcs.
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' steps it up by allowing you to change their class at the end -- specifically, [[spoiler:by training them as a Jedi]]. It was also intended to affect whether or not they'd survive the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon, but the game's ChristmasRushed release prevented that from being implemented.
** In ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', only one of each storyline companions (generally the first companion you get) has actual quests that requires you to go to other places while other characters' storylines simply have you talking to them once their approval is high enough. However, the end of their storylines generally involve them dedicating themselves to you, or at acknowledging that they respect you, generally with the promises of training your successors/heirs.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' has these, called "Affinity Missions." They're your main source of recruiting additional party members, and later ones enable the PlayerCharacter to [[PowerCopying learn the other characters' signature Arts]].
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', starting with [[VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesII the second game]], has sidequests for each squad member, expanding on their backstories and characterization. (In the fourth game, each "Squad Story" is shared by three members) Upon completion, the squad member's negative Potentials are generally replaced by positive ones. (e.g. [[FantasticRacism "Darcsen Hater"]] changing to "Reconciliation", "Coward" becoming "[[CowardlyLion God of Battle]]", etc)

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', where several [[NonPlayerCompanion followers]] will only join you on a permanent basis after you go in a specific side mission with them.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'':
** An example of a ''failed'' Loyalty Mission in the first-season episode "Home Invasion." Oliver fails one of these by prioritizing protecting Laurel from a hitman over helping Diggle take down Deadshot, the man who killed Diggle's brother, without so much as a "sorry, buddy, I can't be in two places at once" to give Dig the heads-up that he's on his own, causing Diggle to take a TenMinuteRetirement from the team. However, by the second season he had gotten a lot better at this sort of thing: in "Keep Your Enemies Closer," Ollie drops everything to travel with Diggle to Russia and track down Deadshot. Diggle tells Ollie that he didn't ask for his help, and Ollie replies that he didn't need to. Diggle's look of gratitude says it all. He does the same sort of thing in Season 3's "Corto Maltese," despite having very serious problems of his own to deal with at the same time.

** They exist in [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]] as well. In particular, helping Wrex obtain his ancestral armor wins his loyalty enough that you can talk him down from potentially turning on you without needing a high enough Paragon or Renegade rank. The fact that Garrus, Tali, and Liara effectively have two loyalty missions [[UndyingLoyalty explains a lot]]. So does the fact that [[BrokenPedestal Kaidan and Ashley have none]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' continues the tradition, with four of your companions having personal quests that unlock when you reach enough Affinity with them. Cait seeks a cure for her addiction to Psycho, Nick Valentine seeks closure on a very personal case, Curie seeks to become human, and MacCready seeks both to get rid of his Gunner harassers and to find a cure for his son. Danse has a variant in that it is instead unlocked while following the main questline with the Brotherhood of Steel and [[spoiler:it can end with him being killed if the player doesn't take careful steps to prevent it]].